Immortal Bloodlines
by Arciadrian
Summary: Sequel to my story, Immortal War. After Kronos's defeat, the three new brothers are given a great honor. They are admitted into the ranks of the Gods themselves. But they soon realize that Immortality leads to Immortal problems.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**A/N:I know you guys liked Immortal War, so here's the sequel! I hope you like this as well. As before, I'll specify which POV I'm writing from. I had a hard time thinking of a plot, but I've got one now. This will be better writen, and have better spelling, I hope. Bear with me as I write for my characters, since they can be really annoying sometimes.**

**Disclaimer; Since no one owns the Greek Gods, I think I'll add my name to the growing list. And Hades keeps warning me to, so I'll keep doing it!**

**-!-**

The pain was slowly fading, though he knew from experience that it would take millenia. He remembered well the eons spent in the dark, waiting. . . .

"Argg!" His cry of anger was silent, but deafening on the spiritual plane. He hated the place, especially with the memory of trees, and the clear blue sky . . . . But then that bastard son of his brother had ruined everything! And he had managed to turn his other nephews against him! If he hadn't been so careless, toying with the child, overconfident. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

Alone in the dark, Kronos plotted his eventual escape once again. . . .

-!-

Anak shifted uncomfortably, disconcerted by the spectacle before him. He could almost feel Sole's tension beside him, and he heard Sirius' breathing pick up.

They were standing where few mortals had tread. Twelve collosal throne curved in a U shape, all but one occupied. In the center sat Zeus, on a throne of platinum carved with thunderbolts. His long platinum hair waved to his waist, and he wore a neatly trimmed beard. His bright blue eyes rested calmly on the three of them. He wore a white robe stitched with golden lightning. He held his mightiest thunderbolt in his hand, a twelve foot lance of pure energy.

Beside him sat his elder brother, Poseidon. Poseidon's hair was black, and nearly as long as his brother's. He had deep blue eyes, which seemed to be both angry and happy at the same time..The Sea God sat on a throne of coral, with pearls embedded in the whorls. He wore a robe of deep blue-green, with a wave pattern. By his side rested his Trident, a three pronged spear, with blue arcs of power racing through the points.

On Zeus's other side sat his wife, Hera. She sat on a golden throne, with carved peacocks resting along the arms, and a huge peacock tail forming the back of the seat. She wore a pure white gown, and had a net of amber beads holding back her lustrous brown curls. Her lovely violet eyes smiled down at the three wore a matching necklace. She riegned as the Goddess of Marriage, and the Queen of Heaven.

On Poseidon's other side sat Hepheastus, the God of Smiths and Forges. He held a massive iron hammer in his hand, and a large pike rested near his throne. Said chair was a masterpiece of technology, with a small pad of buttons and switches near the god's right hand. He was not handsome, his face oddly deformed, and his body twisted, with his left leg in a brace. His hair was black, and small fire erupted in it every few seconds, only to be extingueshed seconds later.

Beside Hepheastus sat Apollo, God of the Sun. And Archery, Medicine, and Music. His long blond hair was still streaked with blood from his treatment at the hands of Ares. His golden eyes still clouded with pain every so often. He wore golden robes, and carried a large bow made from white wood. Beside him rested a quiver of golden arrows. He lounged on his golden throne with ease, though he was still wounded. An image of the sun graced the back of the seat.

Beside him sat Dionysus, the God of Wine. His black hair was unkept, and his eyes were clouded. He wore deep purple robes, and sat on a throne made from grapevines. He carried no visible weapon, but Anak knew he could kill people from alcohol poisoning in an instant.

On Queen Hera's other side sat her older sister, Demeter. The Goddess on the Harvest wore a plain white dress, and her golden tresses were unbound. But her brown eyes were kind. She carried a staff, and her throne was made of plain wood.

At her side was Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom. The most imposing woman in the room, her grey eyes flashed, and her brown hair was held back in an elegant yet severe knot at the back on her head. She was dressed in battle armor, with white robes over it. She carried a spear, and had her helmet on her knee. And emblazoned on her breastplate, was an image of the gorgon Medusa. Anak couldn't look at it for long. The goddess of Wisdom sat on a simple throne of marble.

Then was Artemis, dressed like a boy. Her brown hair was held back in a pony-tail, and her deep black eyes were mysterious. She sat on a throne of wood, draped with animal skins, the most gorgeous of which was a golden loin skin, taken, Anak knew, from the Nemean Lion. She had a large bow made from black wood, and was the twin sister of Apollo.

And last but certainly not least, was the blindingly stunning Aphrodite. She wore a tight black gown, and her long honey blonde hair was braided into an intricate crown on top of her head. She had deep blue eyes, and sat on a throne of pink stone. About her waist was a long sash, and Anak grew slightly sleepy at the sight on her wearing it.

Anak had actually _been_ dressed that morining, by a group of giggling naiads. They had picked out a blue dress shirt, and crisply pressed blue dress pants. He wore black boots, which were shint and clicked on the polished marble floor. He wore a long green and blue cape over the clothes, and a headband with wave symbols to hold back his longer hair.

Sirius was dressed much alike, though he wore only black. His cape was speckled with stars, and his hair was unrestrained.

Sole was dressed in gold, with a cape lined with sun patterns. He wore a headband as well, one woven from golden thread. All three were dressed according to thier parentage. As the son of Oceanus, Anak was dressed in ocean colors. And as the son of Krios, Sirius was decked out in stars. Sole was dressed much like his father, Hyperion, the Titan of Light.

All had renounced thier fathers, and all had pledged themselves to Olympus. And now they were being accepted. It was an important ceremony, Poseidon had told them.

Shortly after he'd assisted the three brothers in defeated Kronos, Poseidon had adopted Anak, Sirius, and Sole as his sons.

Two other immortals were seated in the room. One, a goddess, was seated near the huge central fire pit. Flames roared over ten feet in the air. She held a stick, and wore a hooded robe. Her greying hair and kind grown eyes were just barely visible. She was Hestia, eldest of Kronos's children. She had given up her throne to Dionysus to avoid a conflict. Now she just served as Goddess of the Hearth.

And seated beside her, on a throne of black obsidian, was her younger brother, Hades. The dark God of the Dead wore his black hair long, and unbound. He had depthless black eyes, and he was deathly pale. He wore black robes, and at his waist were fastened hooked chains. These he could use to rip the souls of the living from thier bodies. On his lap rested his dreaded Helm of Darkness. It radiated fear, and when he wore it, he could become darkness itself.

Long ago, almost five thousand years previously, the gods had happened upon a very dangerous idea. Though thier souls and bodies were immortal, Athena had discovered that thier souls could be removed, and sealed. They had sealed the titans in thier own weapons of power, and then hidden those weapons across the world. Thier bodies, according to rumor, were sealed in a massive tomb deep under Mount Olympus.

But the Gods had met a similar fate. They had been sealed as well, and only three hundred years later, thier mortal descendants had found thier weapons, and touched them.

That was all it took. Thier identities merged with that of the gods, and they became gods themselves. But they were not immortal. They could die, as the last war had proven. Both Ares and Hermes had fallen in battle with Typhon. Their weapons had been taken, and the gods were searching for suitable candidates to take thier place.

Zeus stood, causing all of the others to rise with him. He beckoned the three of them forward, and Anak stepped forward first, and Sole and Sirius followed a step walked up to the foot of Zeus's throne, and knelt.

Zeus spoke, his voice carrying easily through the gigantic chamber."Welcome, Heroes of Olympus. You have proven your loyalty to the gods, and as a reward for your valor, we have agreed to accept you into the ranks of immortality. Anaklusmos! Stand forward!"

Anak, slightly suprised by the use of his full name, stood. Zeus knelt down so that they were level,since the gods, I guess I forgot to mention, are on average fifteen feet tall. He then reached out, and out of thin air there appeared an elegant spear, made from a strange black wood, with a blue-green blade. It had a deisgn of serpents, and waves. Zeus presented it to Anak, who took it, and bowed. Zeus rapidly shrank to human size, placed his hands on Anak's shoulders, and proclaimed,"I name you Lieutenant of Poseidon!"

There was a small smattering of applause, from the goddesses. Then Zeus waved Sole forward. Sole shakily complied, and Zeus did the same as he had before. He waved his hand, and a pair of short swords appeared, with golden blades, and the sun carved into the hilts. Zeus presented them to Sole, and said,"I name you Captain of the Army of Olympus!"

Then he repeated the process once more, this time conjuring a long black bow, like Artemis's, and handing it to Sirius, saying,"You are now a Captain of the Army of Olympus!"

The Gods and Goddesses roared in approval, and then Zeus said,"This meeting is convened. Let the feast begin!"

Dionysus gave the loudest yell of all, and he clapped his hands together. Several large tables appeared, laden with food. Small creatures appeared, satyrs, dryads, and others, holding bottles of wine and trays of small snacks.

The council of the Gods moved slowly out of the hall, and a few lesser Gods and Goddesses appeared here and there. Nine of Zeus's daughters, the Nine Muses, appeared, and started a small concert. A dance floor ws established, and Zeus started the dancing with Hera. Soon Hepheastus and Aphodite joined them, and then a stream of minor Gods and Goddesses.

Anak walked over to a large balcony, which looked out over the world, and changed to a different place each day. Today, or rather tonight, it showed a gorgeous view of Sydney, Australia. The Opera House was lit up, throwing light arcoss the harbor.

Soon, Sole joined him, sloightly red in the face. Anak looked over his shoulder, and saw a pretty young goddess waiting for him. He grinned at his younger brother, and siad,"Found yourself a girlfriend?"

Sole shrugged, but he looked happier than Anak had seen him. Though Sole was only sixteen, and the goddess was likely many millenia old, Anak was happy for him.

Then Sirius arrived, his new bow slung over his shoulders. He winked at Sole, and Anak could tell he'd seen the girl. Then he faced Anak."Apollo promised to teach me how to shoot!"

Anak laughed, and clapped him on the shoulder. Sirius was only fifteen, and sometimes his exitement was overbearing. At nineteen, Anak was the oldest of the three.

They looked out over Sydney, and a wave of peace washed over them. Sole waved his girlfriend closer, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They stayed there for a while, until the party ended. Officially. Dionysus and several satyrs were still downing wine.

Anak closed his eyes, a slight smile on his face. Maybe he could get used to this. After all, he was going to live forever. He might as well try.

**A/N: Hey, guys! I'm sorry this is a short chapter, but it was difficult to write. Sorry. But it'll get easier! I know you liked the first one, so I know you'll like this one. See you in the next chapter, and I hope you'll R/R! Arciadrian**


	2. Immortality Sucks

**Immortality Sucks**

**A/N:If anyone read the title and said,"What a freaking idiot, who wouldn't want to live forever?" Remember, people, forever is a long freaking time. And on that note, I have another disclaimer!**

**Hades decided to double team me into making this one. He called Athena in, and she just droned on about laws until my brain went fuzzy. So I don't own the Greek Gods, and Athena's really annoying. Yeah.**

**-!-**

**Anak's POV**

Anak woke the next morning feeling better than he ever had. He felt like there was nothing to worry about, and suddenly, everything had slowed down. He slowly got out of bed, and dressed in his usual black jeans and t-shirt. He looked over at his new spear, and wondered if he could do all the things that the Gods could do. He pointed at it, and concentrated. Nothing happened.

Anak swore softly, and tried again. This time . . . nothing happened. Anak swore again, and said,"Aw, c'mon! Just get smaller!"

To his astonishment, the spear shrank to the size of a pencil. Anak hurried forward and picked it up, then grinned and slipped it into his pocket.

He left his room, and wandered for a while through Olympus, marveling at the huge palace, the tapestries, and the statues. He encountered a statue of Zeus that was made entirely of gold, and the lightning bolt he was about to throw was made of silver.

Anak ended up on the balcony again, and saw that they were over Athens today. He heard someone behind him, but he didn't turn as Poseidon stepped up beside him. He looked down at Athens, and sighed, a slight smile on his face."I remember Athens before it was called such. Do you know the tale?"

Anak shook his head, and glanced over at Poseidon. Now the God looked slightly brooding.

"Well," Poseidon began,"Once Athena and I wanted the same city for out own. We bickered for months, and it almost became a war. Then Zeus intervened and said,'let the mortals choose.' I believed that they would choose me, as I am the Sea God, but I decided to play along. I made them a saltwater spring, a beautiful thing, to grace their town center.

"Athena created the olive tree. I laughed at her, and said,'What use is one tree to mortals? What can they use it for?' She only smiled, and invited the mortals to taste the olives. They did, and then one of them said,'This is truly a gift from the Gods. We shall have food and wood from these trees.'"

"Athena was so smug I almost struck her down. But I accepted defeat. Against her. The mortals were far less lucky. I poisoned their nice new spring, and all of their wells. I made sure that any Athenian ship that sailed would never return to Athens. And they still don't. My curse lasted long after I meant it to."

Anak felt slightly awed at this story. He had to remind himself that this was a God, and not to voice his opinion that they sounded like children fighting over a toy. But to the Gods, mortals were toys.

They were interrupted as two more figures walked up. Apollo and Athena, who looked lofty, as if she knew what Poseidon had just said. And she probably did.

Apollo was still limping lightly. Athena stopped a few feet from Poseidon, and said,"Uncle, have you informed him yet?"

Poseidon shook his head, and turned to Anak."When the council made you a god, you gained all of the abilities of a god. As long as you have a sponsor. A god who is willing to share their power with you. I volunteered to sponsor you, so you can do everything I can, with limits. For example, you can't do anything I say you can't. If i tell you you can't move water, you can't."

Apollo stepped up,"And I have agreed to sponsor Sole. He will have my powers. And he will also have to do as I say. But Poseidon is your father, and so he can overrule me. Artemis is allowing Sirius to use some of her powers. Like her star powers, and her archery abilities. Remember, if we revoke this, you will still be gods, but powerless. The council makes these decisions."

Athena turned once again to Poseidon."We are leaving for the mortal conference. Shall we send them?"

Poseidon nodded."Yes." He looked at Anak."You know that Ares and Hermes were killed. Their new human hosts are in the world below. You and your brothers are going to find them, and bring them to Olympus."

Anak cocked his head sideways."Hosts?"

Athena nodded."Yes. Their descendants capable of merging with the spirit. They will be the new Ares and Hermes."

Anak nodded, and bowed to the gods."You're going to earth to talk to the mortal rulers?"

"Yes." They vanished, leaving nothing but a faint aura of power behind. Anak thought for a moment, then walked back into the palace. He went to thier quarters, passing the throne room, and a few godly bed chambers. Then he arrived at their chambers.

When they had moved into Olympus, Sole and Sirius had insisted on sharing quarters. Anak had caved, and so they all bunked together, in thier own small wing of the palace. He went to Sole's door, and banged on it. He heard sole groan inside, and he pushed the door open.

Sole, being a teenager, was well buried in his blankets. He moaned when Anak clapped his hands, and Anak smirked. With a snap of his fingers, a bucket of water appeared above Sole. At his silent command, it tipped over.

Sole swore, jumping out of bed. He launched himself at Anak, and they both fell to the floor. Anak could barely breath, he was laughing so hard. Luckily, being immortal meant he didn't need to. He shoved Sole off, and got to his feet. He surveyed the wet room, and snapped his fingers again. The water vanished, and Anak turned back to Sole, who was trying to get back into bed.

Anak raised an eyebrow, and said,"Next time I'll throw you into a lake. Let's go, the council gave us an assignment!"

Sole groaned something that sounded like _Five more minutes,_and Anak shook his head in exasperation."We leave as soon as I get Sirius up. You better be ready by then." He walked out of them room, fully aware that Sole would be snoring in seconds. He crossed the hall to Sirius's room, and pushed the door open.

Sirius wasn't sleeping. He was already dressed, and thumbing through a large book. Anak wondered where he'd gotten the book, since they didn't have a library in their wing. Then he remembered that Sirius was a god. He snapped his fingers, and said,"Lets go! Got a job to do!"

Sirius nodded, and slipped off the bed. He picked up his bow, frowned in concentration, before it turned into a necklace. He slipped it over his head, and followed Anak back to Sole's room.

At first, it seemed that Sole had indeed gone back to sleep. The bed looked like it had when he'd first entered, with Sole buried in the sheets. Then something collided roughly with Anak, throwing him into the wall.

He recovered quickly, and launched himself at Sole, who had obviously stuffed a pillow under the sheets. They wrestled across the room, knocking things over, before they ended up near the bed, Anak pinning Sole to the floor with his body weight.

Sole laughed, holding out his hands in defeat. Anak let him up, and he clapped his hands. Instantly, he was dressed in a black hoodie and blue jeans. He picked up his swords from his bedside table, and they shrank and melded into a switchblade.

Anak led the way through the palace, and stopped outside the throne room, positive he'd just heard a voice say his name. He took a step forward, and heard it again. Without looked at either Sole or Sirius, he entered the throne room.

It was almost deserted, with only one person there. Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth, was stirring the morning coals with a long iron poker. Even from almost thirty yards away, standing near the door, Anak could feel the heat. He walked forward, and bowed to Hestia, hearing Sole and Sirius mirroring him.

Hestia smiled at him, and said,"I wanted to say good morning before you left, young ones."

Sirius, curious teenager that he could be, asked,"why don't you have a throne, Lady Hestia?"

Hestia looked at him in surprise. Then she nodded."Yes, I suppose few know the tale. Very well, take a seat. This could be a moment." She waved her hand, and three comfortable armchairs appeared. They sat, and Hestia began,"Long ago, before many of the younger gods and goddesses were even born, the six of us, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, and I, ruled as the six children of the Titan King.

"Then Ares was born. He was Zeus's pride and joy, and Hera's little boy, for a while. Then Hephaestus followed, and Hera declared that she had never seen such an ugly baby, and she threw him off Mount Olympus. He returned, but he's never been quite the same since.

"Soon followed Aphrodite, who Zeus forced to marry Hephaestus. Then were Apollo and Artemis. They were Zeus's children by a smaller goddess named Leto. Hera hated any woman that Zeus had an affair with, of course. She forbade the goddess of childbirth from helping Leto, and so she would never bear her children.

"But Zeus knew that he must have as many children as possible. So he told both I and Demeter to give our sister a necklace of amber beads. She accepted the bribe, and allowed Leto to give birth.

"Then Zeus began to have horrible headaches. He would scream so loudly, the mountains would shatter. One day, he begged Hepheastus to break his head open, and see what was inside that caused such pain. Hephaestus split his skull with his hammer, and Athena sprang out, holding her spear, and wearing her armor. She had been thrusting at the inside of his head, giving him the headaches.

"Then Hades, who at that time was much more friendly, decided to stay in the underworld. He left the council, and has barely returned since. Zeus took it horribly, for he and Hades had once been close friends. Soon afterwards, Zeus fell in love with Maia, a Titaness. He father Hermes, who was so cunning, crafty, and sharp that Zeus ordered him to live on Olympus as the god of messengers. He soon gained fame and became the god of travelers, thieves, merchants, and anyone who uses the roads.

"We stood at twelve, and such was a lucky number. Until Zeus met Semele.

"She was his first mortal wife. Hera hated her horribly, and when Zeus was away, went to her in disguise while Semele was pregnant, and said,'What a lovely girl! And who is the father?'

"Semele replied with pride,'None other than Zeus himself!'

"Hera was quite cunning, and she planted doubt in the girl's mind.'Zeus, you say? Why, I would make sure he is who he says, were I you!' And she walked away, leaving Semele musing by herself.

"Zeus returned a few days later, and Semele said to him,'I want something from you, my love.' And Zeus foolishly said,'I swear upon the River Styx that you shall have it!'

"Semele replied,'Show yourself to me as Zeus, the king of the gods!' Zeus tried to refuse her request, but he had sworn. He revealed his true form, and the girl was incinerated. In desperation, Zeus took her unborn child, and sewed him into the flesh of his own leg. The child was born, and Zeus named him Dionysus.

"Zeus declared upon Dionysus's twentieth birthday that he had made wine, and so he must be made a god. Hera protested, but Zeus ignored her. He made Dionysus a god, but then he looked at the council, and realized that they would be thirteen. Such a thing could never happen for then they would be quite unlucky. It would surely have meant a war, but then one of the Olympians stepped down.

"I offered my seat to Dionysus, to avoid a conflict. I have never regretted my choice, for my place is here." Hestia smiled ay Sirius, and said,"We have wasted much time in talking, young ones. Go on with your mission. There will be time for conversation later."

They bowed, and left the room. When Anak looked back, he saw a look of ageless sorrow on Hestia's face. But he could have imagined it. They stopped at the balcony, and Sirius said,"Where are they, anyway?"

Anak shrugged."I don't know. I've got a feeling we should know, though."

Sole made an excited sound."I know! I'll ask the sun!"

Sirius burst out laughing, but Anak got it."You can do that?"

Sole rolled his eyes."Well, _duh_. I'm a sun god!" He held his arms out, and closed his eyes, drinking in the sunlight. He stood that way for a little while, and Anak smacked Sirius every time he opened his mouth to say anything. Suddenly, Sole's eyes shot open, and he said,"The child of Ares is in Chicago. The child of Hermes lives in Toronto."

Sirius stared at him in awe."How did you do that?"

Sole shrugged."No idea. But I think the sun likes me."

Anak was only half paying attention to him. He was thinking about Hestia's expression as they left. She was one of the oldest living being on earth. She had seen many people, maybe people she loved, die as she lived on for eternity. She had seen many terrible things, and death would never ease her memories. She would live with all of her regrets forever.

_Forever's a long time._Anak thought._ Maybe immortality's just as much a blessing as a curse._

**A/N:Yeah, I know I said something like that at the beginning of the chapter. But it totally fits here. I'm sorry to all Greek Mythology buffs out there, if I messed anything up in their stories. And I have only an idea of the order the gods were born in. This was a fun chapter, and I hope the next one is better. See you all next chapter, and please, please, PLEASE Review! Thanks to Christine, who reviewed chapter one. I'm going through withdrawal, no reviews in almost three weeks! :'( **

**So please, take pity and review! Arciadrian**


	3. Soul of a God

**Soul of a God**

**A/N:Hey, everyone! Hope you liked the last chapter, cause there's another one comin' right up! Oh, and Hades has a message for the world!**

**Hades:"You will all be mine!"**

**Athena:"Hades, just deliver the disclaimer!"**

**Hades:"But I wanted to scare them all!"**

**Athena:"Just do your job!"**

**Hades:"I am!"**

**Me:"Well, since they're bickering, I'll say it. I don't own the Greek Gods, and Homer's been dead for three thousand years. So I can use his ideas all I want! Mwaa ha ha!**

**-!-**

**Ares's POV**

He had known many things in his life, short though it was. He had been born thirteen years ago, as Axel Vanzetti, son of Micheal Vanzetti, a Mafia crime boss. He'd never known his mother. His father told him she had been killed ten years ago in a NWO raid. NWO, or the New World Order, was very strict when it came to crime. They had burned down the Vanzetti manor, and left father and son homeless.

Axel had since become his father's most trusted advisor, and his most useful spy. People talked around children. He could use a knife, and a handgun, with an ease that most professionals lacked. His father believed he was destined to take over the crime family, but even then, he wondered if he was to be something more.

Then, a little over two years ago, his father was killed in a war between rival families, and Axel was abducted, and forced to join his father's killers. They made quick use of his skills, employing him to kill off anyone who became a threat. Be it political adversaries, or dangerous enemies. His name quickly became one of the most feared. He was the most proficient assassin in Chicago, and he was only fifteen.

Axel walked up to the door, ignoring the two hulking men that stood on either side. They had 9mm's in their belts, and wore sunglasses. Rengazzi had become rather consumed by appearance. Axel waited while they announced him, and then walked inside.

The main room was decked out in black leather, and he could see three powerful Mafia crime bosses lounging around, all key members of the alliance that Rengazzi had put together. Axel walked up to Rengazzi, who was actually rather fat, wearing an expensive black suit. Axel would have bet that the money to afford it had come from him.

Rengazzi wheezed to his feet, and wrapped a fatherly arm over Axel's shoulders, and said for all of them to hear,"And here's my boy! My, I'd like you to meet a few friends of mine, Axe!"

He pointed at an overweight Mafia boss."This is Renzo. He runs the family over in the west side of the city. He's got a little job for you."

Renzo, an elderly man who nonetheless showed great vitality, nodded, and said,"I've got a rat. He's been reporting to NWO, and I want him taken out. Can you do it?"

Axel nodded, and Renzo turned to Rengazzi."How much will it be, old friend?"

Rengazzi shrugged."Oh, I suppose twenty grand should do. You do have that much, don't you?"

"Ever since we began this alliance, I've been making more. Twenty it is. Oh, and make sure the boy gets some of it! After all, we're not slave traders! Let's leave that to the other families!"

Rengazzi laughed with them, but Axel just turned away. No, the Mafia weren't interested in slaves, but that didn't mean he wasn't one. And he wouldn't see a cent of that money. He left the room, and heard Renzo call after him,"He lives on Division! Look for the club there, Mafia run. He'll be there today. Being me his head!"

Axel nodded without turning, and left the building. He hated doing this kind of work, though he was very good at it. Maybe someday he would be able to get away from Rengazzi, and do what _he_ wanted to do.

**Hermes's POV**

Like most children without parents, David Ketcherman lived in an orphanage. He lived with others his own age, and learned quickly that he had to be clean, presentable, and quite at all times. Damn old fashioned orphanage. He had read in history books that most of them had been closed in 2043.

David was reading a book, keeping to himself, when the matron walked in, her face red. Though David was a world class troublemaker, he was usually good at not getting caught.

The matron hauled in one of his least favorite people, another boy named Mitchel, who had beaten David up when he was smaller. That had ended when David kicked his ass two years ago, when Mitchel had mistakenly believed that his size would make him easy to beat. At nearly seventeen, David could take care of himself. But since, Mitchel had been incredibly annoying, saying that David had won unfairly.

David was also a very good theif. And proud of it. He stole on a regular basis, and never got caught. Until now.

The matron started yelling, something about how Mitchel had seen him taking a visiting man's watch. David yawned, and said,"You got proof? I didn't steal from him." And also, David was, of course, an excellent liar.

But his luck had run out. The matron held up a small disposable camera, and said,"Dear Mitchel got this for his birthday. He's been collecting all the 'evedence' I need. If it were up to me, I'd-"

But what she would have done, they didn't find out, because there was a knock on the door. The matron stopped, and opened the door. Three teenagers stood there, two of them looking around curiously. The third was simply looking politely at the matron.

He spoke, his voice melodious and low."Is this David Kecherman's room?"

She nodded dumbly.

The teen looked around her, and smiled at David."I can see. Well, I'm afraid he's going to have to come with us. Sorry if I'm interrupting anything."

She started to puff up, likely to tell them that they were tresspassing, and out of their minds thinking they could just walk in and take a child from an orphanage. But the words never left her mouth. The teen simply waved a hand in front of her face, and her eyes went blank. She spoke in a dreamy voice."Of course, my Lord. Whatever you . . . say." And she left the room, dragging Mitchel behind her.

They entered the room, and the youngest, who had long black hair, intense black eyes, and wore a black hoodie and jeans, closed the door. The other one, with golden blond hair, and _really_weird gold eyes, wearing a white hoodie, and blue jeans.

The one's who'd spoken to the matron had long black hair held back in a ponytail. His eyes were blueish-green, and he wore a blue t-shirt that had a picture of a dragon on it. He wore cut offs, which were blue, and sandals.

It was the oldest, the one who spoken first, who spoke again."Do you know who you are?"

David stared at him, and then shook himself out of it."I'm David. I have no clue what you're talking about."

"No, I suppose you don't. Well, I think we can work around that. Let's go." He waved a hand, and David cried out in shock. Everything went black, then wite, then cleared.

He was standing on a balcony of what was the largest and most beautiful palace he'd ever seen. Everything was either white or gold. He looked over his shoulder, and saw that he was standing on a mountain overlooking Toronto. But, there wasn't a palace like this anywhere near Toronto! The three teenagers who'd taken him were standing nearby, watching him.

David glared at them."What the hell did you do? And where the hell am I?"

The oldest laughed, and shrugged."We transported you to your home. And to answer your second question, we're on Olympus."

That was met with a blank stare.

**Anak's POV**

Anak sighed. He walked up to David, and said,"Did you ever hear the old stories, about the Greek Myths?"

David shook his head. Anak swore, and said,"Well, I'll summarize it for you.

"A long, long time ago-"

"In a galaxy far far away?" Sirius snickered, causing Anak to glare at him. He coughed, and shut up. Anak continued,"Long ago, the world was made by a powerful deity. In fact, the earth _is_a powerful Deity. She married the sky, and they had twelve children. These children were called the Titans." Both Sirius and Sole flinched, and Anak threw them comforting looks before he continued.

"These Titans married thier sisters, and all of them had many children. All but one. The youngest Titan, who was King, feared that his children would kill him, like he'd killed his own father. So as his wife gave birth, he swallowed them all. But his wife hated him for it. So when she knew she was pregnant for the sixth time, she gave birth quietly, and then gave her husband a stone to eat instead. He fell for it, and she gave the child to Mother Earth.

"He grew, and eventually challenged his father. He made him vomit up his other children, and they defeated him together. A war followed. Soon the children of the king were triumphant. They were the gods. They became powerful, and the youngest child of the king took his father's place. He Had many children, and some of them joined them as gods. They ruled, twelve all powerful beings. And they never left. They still exist. And you're here to join them."

Anak was expecting disbelief, and he wasn't disappointed. David scoffed at him, and Sole leaned over and whispered,"We still have to find Ares."

Anak nodded, and said,"Go get him. I'll deal with Hermes."

David gasped as they disappeared in flashes of light. Anak grabbed his arm and hauled him into the palace. He resisted, but Anak was still a god. He pulled him up to the treasury, where the Caduceus, weapon of power of the god Hermes, was kept.

They stopped in front of the door, and Anak tried to open it with a wave of his hand, but it wouldn't budge. Instead, he said,"I bring the heir of Hermes, to fulfill his birthright."

The doors opened, and Anak dragged David into the room. If they tried to touch anythig, white flamnes leapt up between them and the object. They wound through the maze of powerful magical objects, priceless treasures, and various weapons, until they came to a small room that was watched over by a statue of Hermes, with his winged cap, shoes, and holding the Caduceus high.

Said Caduceus was actually lying on a velvet sheet at the foot of the statue. David stared at it, and Anak nudged him forward."Pick it up. It's yours."

David moved forward, and reached out to touch the long golden staff. Two golden wings graced the top of the staff, and two serpents twined around it. And when David's fingers touched it, a blinding flash went off, and Anak shielded his eyes.

**Sole's POV**

"Is that him?" Sirius whispered, pointing at the young man. He wore black clothes, jacket and jeans. He carried a handgun in his belt, and walked with a confident, even arrogant gait.

"Yes." Sole answered. He prepared to show himself, but then a loud voice drawled,"So Renzo thinks he can off me! Bring him to me boys, dead or alive!"

Twelve men armed with machine guns and tasers flooded into the alley below the two gods, all of them focused on the heir of Ares.

Sole flicked a hand at Sirius, who raised his bow. Faster than thought, six of the men were dead, black and silver arrows buried in their hearts. The men below started to panic, but Sole gave them little chance. He leaped off the building.

Sole landed feet from the child of Ares, and drew his swords. They blazed with sun-fire.

The men took unsteady aim at him, but then three more were down with arrows riddling their corpses. Sole lunged gracefully at the remaining three men, and before the mortals could react, it was all over. Sole thrust one of his swords into a man's chest, then ripped upwards, spilling both blood and organs over the cold pavement. At the same time, he'd slashed the leg off another man, who had fallen, only to have half of his head cut off on Sole's next pass.

The last man managed to fire a random shot. He hit nothing, and Sole thrust both swords forward, cutting the man cleanly in half.

The child of Ares stood absolutely still, one hand on his gun. He was splattered with gore, and shivering. Sole took little pity on him, knowing that more men could arrive at any second. The son of Hyperion walked forward, and the mortal boy pulled his gun, and fired three shots with perfect accuracy. He didn't miss.

Sole grunted with pain as the bullets ripped into his chest, and he stumbled back a pace. Sirius roared in fury, and aimed his bow at Alex. Alex could onlt stare in shock as golden immortal ichor poured from the three wounds on Sole's chest. The flow increased until, with a tinkling sound, the bullets fell out and hit the pavement. The wounds closed, and Sole smiled.

"Let's try that again. I am a god. And you are coming with me." Sole snapped his fingers, and they disappeared in a bright flash of light.

Next instant, they stood on the balcony overlooking the earth. They were looking down on Chicago now, much to Alex's amazement. He stared at sole, and Sirius, when he appeared out of thin air beside them. The mortal jumped a foot in the air, and his hand flew to his gun.

Sole disarmed him with a flick of his fingers. He grabbed the now bemused mortal's arm, and towed him into the palace. They passed the huge courtyard beyond the massive front doors. Along each wall were the living quarters of each god and goddess. Across the courtyard stood the gigantic doors that led into the throne room. And two halls led off the courtyard. These led into the extensive wings of the palace. Sole hauled Alex down the right hand hall, Sirius right on their heels.

They encountered Anak not two hundred feet down the hall, standing with another teenager. The teen had windswept brown hair that fell to his shoulders, and brown eyes that glinted with mischief. He wore white robes, and golden sandals with wings on them. He had a hat as well, also made of gold, and also with wings. He carried a long staff with wings carved in gold into the top. Two snakes, living snakes, curled around the staff, hissing.

Anak turned to them, and smiled."I see you got him. May I introduce the newest member of the Olympian Council, Lord Hermes, god of messengers, travelers, and anyone who uses the roads?"

"And thieves." Hermes added, his mellow voice layered with contained excitement. Sole couldn't believe that only minutes ago, this had been a mortal boy, because not only was his voice different, they looked absolutely nothing alike.

Hermes smiled, as though reading his mind."I shall wait in the Throne Room for Lord Ares. Excuse me." They bowed as Hermes walked away, and entered the huge Throne Room down the hall.

Anak took Alex's hand, and pulled him into the treasury. They walked past the exhibits of godly weapons and artifacts, until they came to an alcove that was draped with long red banners. There were hundreds of swords, and all other manner of weapon. A suit of red-golden armor was on display. And above the alcove was a mounted boars head, larger than any Anak had ever seen.

Alex had stopped, and was staring openmouthed at the most prominent weapon, a huge two handed sword. It was easily four feet of blade, and dyed red from countless battles. The hilt was fashioned into a dragon's head, with the blade erupting from it's mouth. Another dragon head was in the pommel, with a huge ruby in it's jaws.

Alex reached out tentatively, and then recoiled as if burned. Anak hurried forward, and said,"What is it?"

Alex gestured at the blade, which shimmered, and burst into flames. Alex jumped back with a yelp of shock, and Anak caught him. He pushed him back, and said,"This is a test. You must use your courage. Take the sword."

Alex gulped, and quickly picked up the blade.

As before, a brilliant flash lit the room, and the sound of a gale whirled through.

When the afterimage faded, Ares stood tall in all his glory. He had changed drastically. Whereas Alex's hair had been black, Ares's was deep blood red. His eyes were red too, and Alex's had been black. He had grown another foot, and his clothes had morphed into long red robes and a long black cape.

Anak bowed, as did Sole and Sirius. Ares surveyed them, and said,"Rise, little cousins. I don't need you to bow to me. Where are the others?"

Anak rose respectfully, and replied,"They are meeting the mortals, Lord Ares. I was told to inform you that Lord Hermes is waiting for you in the Throne Room."

Ares nodded, and swept out of the room, the three lesser gods on his heels. He closed the doors with an easy flick of his fingers, and then dismissed them. He walked to the door of the Throne Room, and entered just like Hermes.

Anak pushed Sirius playfully, then led the way to their quarters. They entered and went to the large common room they shared. Anak sat in one of the comfortable armchairs, and put his feet up. Sirius flopped on the couch, and Sole threw himself into another armchair.

Sirius, being Sirius, was the first to speak."Ares has changed."

Anak nodded."Yeah, I noticed. I wonder why?"

Sole shrugged, and said,"Who knows? Maybe he's had a change of heart."

Sirius laughed, and Anak joined him. Soon, they were all laughing, with Sirius holding his sides. The very idea of Ares having any kind of change of heart was utterly absurd.

When they had all calmed down, Anak said,"Let's get to the courtyard. I want to be there when the gods get back."

They stood, and walked back through the cavernous palace. When they arrived back at the entry courtyard, they saw Ares and Hermes standing side by side watching the balcony, where the gods and goddesses would appear. Anak, Sirius, and Sole took their places a few steps behind the Olympians.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, eleven people appeared on the balcony. Anak recognized Zeus in fronw, with Hera on his arm, and Poseidon at his side. Hades stood a few paces back. The others were all trailing a respectful distance behind. The procession ascended into the palace, passing the five observers. Hermes and Ares fell into the line as it passed, and the three minor gods trailed behind.

The gods filed into the Throne Room, and the three brothers stopped. But the Poseidon waved them forward, and then the Olympians filed in.

Anak, Sirius, and Sole followed, and they entered to see the Olympian Council take their seats. Now all of the chairs were occupied.

Zeus stood to open the Counil, and then he looked at Ares and Hermes."Welcome, my sons. We are thrilled to have you back among us."

Both Hermes and Ares nodded and bowed to their father. Zeus went on,"And to Poseidon's three sons, well done. You are all allowed to attend this council, as your father's lieutenants."

Three new chairs appeared at the foot of Poseidon's throne. All were normal sized, so the three of them took their seats. Zeus continued,"Our diplomatic meeting with the mortal rulers has brought great fruition. They have acknowledged us as gods, and now agreed to respect us. We shall see how this affects their sacrileges, as they have not yet ceased to pollute our lands. We have delivered an ultimatum. Unless they stop their crimes in one year, I will unleash the wrath of Olympus upon them."

A few of the gods, Ares and Hades in particular, clapped. Athena merely nodded, and Demeter shook her head. But the others did nothing. Zeus looked around, and said,"Are there any other issues that are to be put to this council?"

Hades stood, and Zeus nodded to him, taking his own seat. The Lord of the Dead looked around at them all, and said,"The spirits of Asphodel are attempting to escape from their confinement. My power is barely sufficient. I a year, maybe less, they will break out of Erebus. If they are freed, they will ascend to the mortal world. As you know, this would be a terrible occurrence."

The Gods an Goddesses nodded solemnly. Apollo spoke up."But Uncle, what can we do?"

Hades shook his head."We can do little. I will apply myself with diligence, and I would appreciate any aid the council can give me. Alone, I cannot hope to hold them. Perhaps Hephaestus, and maybe Hermes, can help me keep them in check. Hephaestus to improve the black gates, and Hermes to aid me in keeping the souls contained until I can open another area for them."

Zeus nodded, and said,"And all in favor of Hades's plan?"

Only Demeter's hand stayed down. All of the others agreed, and Zeus proclaimed that the motion was passed. Then he waited for another quirey, but none of the Olympians spoke."Very well, council adjourned."

**A/N: Hey everybody! Loved this chapter, though it was hard to write. I hope you all like it. To anyone who's wondering why Ares is so different, you'll just have to wait and find out! that come's next chapter! And anyone who liked the disclaimer at the top, thanks. I might write more like it. To any Sole, Sirius, and Anak admirers, worry not, I don't have the heart to kill any of them.**

**R/R!**

**Arciadrian**


	4. The Threat

**The Threat**

**A/N: Hi peoples! I'm happy to say that I actually have much of the plot in my mind now! For another two chapters, anyway. Bear with me, and in the meantime, I have a new disclaimer!**

**Athena:I'm here to deliver this legal disclaimer, thereby saving my client, Arciadrian, from legal recourse.**

**Artemis:Speaking of laws, why can't I hunt tigers anymore? They're like, so beautiful, and so fun to chase! I'm complaining!**

**Apollo:You're always complaining.**

**Artemis:Am not!**

**Hades:I shall have your souls!**

**All:Hades! Shut up!**

**Hermes:To conclude, 'cause Artemis and Apollo are starting a little sibling fued-**

**Artemis:I HATE YOU!**

**Hermes:Uh, yeah. So, Arciadrian doesn't own us, and Homer, you've been dead for three millenia. Stop lodging complaints in Elysium. Hades doesn't even read them.**

**-!-**

**?'s POV**

The Titan King had no body, but there are ways of communing with the souls of gods. And of course, there is always someone who knows them.

"My Lord."

"Rise, Slave. Tell me what has occurred. Has my plan succeeded yet?"

"Not yet, my Lord. They have not yet begun to fight. But when they do, I shall reveal you're brilliant plan."

The sound of hissing laughter came, followed by,"Yessss. I shall be free. And when I am, I shall renew my birthright, and you, Slave, shall be made a god!"

The slave threw himself on the ground, and said,"Thank you, Master. You are truly too kind."

"Huh. The gods shall soon know how very _unkind_ I can be!" Harsh laughter now followed, and the slave cowered as his master descended into insane convolutions. He cast a wary eye upwards, and saw that he had been right. The glow in the sky, the sun, was nearly risen. He cancelled the connection, and slunk away into the night.

**Anak's POV**

Anak surveyed the scene with some amusement, but also with annoyance. He loved both of his brothers, but they could be a handful sometimes. And Poseidon was too busy to discipline children.

"Give it back!" Sole shouted, his hair starting to smoke. Anak had seen this before. If Sole got mad enough, he would burst into flames.

"Nope!" Sirius laughed, holding Sole's right handed sword above his head. He'd taken to stealing Sole's things lately. Anak guessed because he and Hermes spent quite a lot of time together. The Olympian was charmed by Anak's brother, and they were regular partners in crime.

Sole howled in rage, and flung himself at Sirius. Soon they were rolling on the floor, yelling, punching, kicking, and swearing. Anak sighed, and waved a hand. Water blasted from thin air, and doused the two of them. They broke apart, now swearing at Anak, who raised his voice over their's"Enough! Sirius, give him back his sword!"

Sirius, now red faced, silently handed over Sole's sword. Anak walked forward, and jabbed them both in the chest. Being slightly older than them, he was also slightly more powerful."You two are driving me crazy! Siri,do you _have_to keep taking his stuff? And Sole, do you have to go all ballistic when he does? Come on, you two! You're gods! act like it!"

They mumbled appologies, and sat across the room from one another. Anaksighed, and went o sit in his own vacated chair.

Then, a fountain in the corner of the room started making a gurgling noise. Anak glanced at it, just as the water geysered up, and formed into a human shape. Anak recognized Poseidon. He fell from his chair, and to his knees. He heard Sirius and Sole do the same.

Poseidon didn't waste time on preliminaries."Come to my chambers at once. Something has happened. I need to speak with all of you." The water fell back, and Anak was already moving. He, Sirius, and Sole dashed out of their wing of the palace, and bolted for their father's room.

The door opened when they got near. They sprinted inside, and came to a perfect stop, not even winded.

Poseidon sat in a throne-like chair, with a blue silk covering, that stood in the entryway. He waved them forward, and they bowed again. As they straightened up, he said,"Something very disturbing has occurred in the council today. You know well how our family is far from perfect? Eons of rivalries, and other conflicts. This may be the worst. Today it started easily enough, but then Zeus began to speak of retaking control of most of us. Long ago, when we first started our rule, Zeus had all of the power. He commanded us. When the great war ended, he gave us a measure of Independence. Now he wants us to serve him again.

"Three Olympians sided with him. Athena, Hermes, and Hera all agreed. However, Hades and I disagreed the most. Now tensions are on the rise. Zeus has always been paranoid, since we managed to catch him in a golden net. We didn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler. Now he fears no doubt that we are plotting against him. Nothing could be farther from the truth, but he refuses to listen. He has ordered us to turn over our power, and our assets, to him by the summer solstice. In other words, in three days.

"But Hades and I are not alone. Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, and Ares are all set against their father. And Hestia has said that she disagrees as well, but she has no vote.

"And if we comply, we must turn over our 'assets'. This means I would have to turn the three of you over to Zeus. He would likely imprison you, for your blood parentage."

Anak felt a deep stirring of dislike for the King of Olympus. He could see Sole gritting his teeth, and Sirius had fear in his eyes. But they were gods."Isn't there any way to stop this?"

Poseidon nodded."There are three ways. Two of them would be last resort. One, we can try to convince Zeus that he is flawed. This is not likely. Two, we can split off from the council, and we would forsake Olympus. This means that we would another order of gods entirely. Or three, we could declare war on Zeus. But that war would end very badly indeed. The King is not the King for no reason."

Sirius let out a small whimper of fear now, and Sole looked doubtful. Anak felt the need to comfort them, and did so by saying,"You'll try to convince Zeus? And the others will help you?"

Poseidon nodded."I will. I do not want a war. And least of all another Great War, which this would be. The council would be split down the middle, and the resulting conflict would last a very long time."

Anak bit his lip."Then what can _we_ do? Why did you call us?"

Poseidon looking into his eyes."I cannot lose any of you. If it comes to war, I want you three to flee. You can go under the waves, I would be more able to protect you there. Or you can try to hide in the mortal world. But you can't stand with me in any battle between gods. You would be easily killed."

Anak nodded. He bowed again, and Poseidon excused them. They left, and went silently back to their quarters. There wasn't any more arguing that night.

**Poseidon's POV**

The Sea God watched his three sons walk out with mixed feelings. He knew his brother better than anyone. Other than maybe Hera. And he knew full well that he would not be reasoned with. And Poseidon couldn't succeed from the Olympian Council lightly. War was the only option. He needed to visit with his allies on the Council, and try to convince them.

Ares, Apollo, Aphrodite, and Dionysus would serve him. He knew that. He also knew that Athena would serve Zeus, as would Hermes, and Hera. But if it came to a three way war, Artemis, Hephaestus, and Demeter would be forced to side with Hades. Artemis because he would claim her powers in the dark were too closely linked to his. Hephaestus because all metal belonged to Hades, and Demeter because Hades was married to her daughter.

But it seemed now that Hades would aid Poseidon in the Council. But their family was rarely so simple.

Poseidon sat back, a weary sigh escaping his lips. True, most of his power was returned to him, but a great deal of the sea was still polluted, and his might was dampened by that. He knew that the sky was the same, and that Hades was contained with keeping the souls of the dead restrained. All of the others, besides Demeter, had their potential back.

_And they will likely need it._ Poseidon thought grimly. If he was to win this war, he knew he would need more allies. and his sons were no match for any of the gods alone. But together . . . . No. He would not send them against any of the gods. But he would ask them if they would. He would give them a choice. He loved them to much to simply force them to do so.

Poseidon knew that Hades was at a huge advantage. He controlled all of the monsters in Tartarus. But using them without their retribution would limit him. And Zeus had no advantages at all. He controlled the skies, but had little influence over anywhere else. He would be very vulnerable in either the Sea or the Underworld. Hades and Poseidon shared no such weakness.

Yes, the war would come. And hopefully, it would be over quickly, and without much heartache.

**Hades's POV**

The gloomy Lord of the Dead sat in his palace on the banks of the River Styx. He was thinking, or rather brooding, as he often did. He hated to be away from his dismal palace, where there was little light. So he despised going to high Olympus, where light never failed. He looked out over Asphodel, where millions of spirits milled in anger. He could feel them slowly draining his power, testing his strength, trying to escape death.

Then a bright being flashed over them, and a blast thew them apart, and they subsided briefly. Hermes, flying here and there over the field, was trying to lessen their power. He was making a slight difference, but the number of souls was immense.

A rhythmic pounding could be heard, where Hephaestus was strengthening the gates, and Hades turned to the place where a few of the more loyal souls, and many from the Field of Punishment, were carving into the wall of the incalculably massive cavern that was the Underworld. He had not had to enlarge the place in more than six thousand years.

He looked down at the Black Gates, the entrance to Erebus. Before them stod a massive monster, a huge black mastiff with three snarling heads. Three pairs of glowing red eyes darted here and there, and it paced back and forth before the gates. Cerberus, the watch dog of Hades.

Beside Hades's throne was another, made of gold, which stood empty. The back of the throne was a pattern of flower petals, and the seat had been made by Hades in an attempt to please his lovely wife, Persephone. He loved her, but she despised him. He'd stolen her from her mother long ago.

But after he'd had her for a while, Demeter found out who had taken her beloved daughter. She went to Zeus, and demanded that Persephone be freed. Zeus had ordered Hades to free her, and Hades had no choice. But he cunningly devised a trick to keep his wife. If she had eaten any of the food of the Underworld, she could not leave.

Persephone, weak with hunger, had eaten six pomegranate seeds. Therefore, Hades ordained that she had to stay in the Underworld with him a month for each seed she'd consumed. While she was with him, Demeter refused to allow the world to grow. She made it cold and harsh. Winter.

Hades knew well that war was coming. He also knew that Poseidon expected him to assist him in the council. And Hades would. But when it became a war, Hades would take his own side. His alliances were concrete. He would _not_ lose.

**A/N: Hi! I hope everyone liked this chapter! If you read Greek Mythology, you'll find that the gods are all paranoid, and most of them are power hungry. And they're all egotistical megalomaniacs. Excuse me if I changed them a little in my story. And to anyone who noticed anything I wrote wrong, PM me, or write it in your review. I don't want to incorrectly write anything. Thanks! **

**R/R! Reviews make an author's day! And you also inspire us to keep writing! So review, and i'll keep the chapters coming!**

**Arciadrian**


	5. Beginnings of Conflict

The Beginnings of Conflict

**A/N: Hi, faithful reviewers! And welcome, new readers! I'm here to deliver another great (or so they tell me) chapter in this terribly fun to write story. And to those who have been with me since I published the first chapter of the first story, 'sup guys? Why no reviews in a long time? I feel forgotten. Oh, well. On to the chapter! Oh, and the Gods have graced us with another disclaimer!**

**Ares: I love the Title! I love conflicts!**

**Hermes: Uh, Ares? We've got to just do the disclaimer, then get out. You know Athena doesn't like it when you get into these kinds of moods.**

**Ares: Oh, fine. This story is original, and since both the Iliad and the Odyssey are like three thousand years old, Arciadrian can portray us all he wants! **

"_Yes! Bring him down!" The voice rang through the chaos, emanating from a giant man, dressed for war. A golden helm protected his head, but allowed his long ebony hair to fall down his back. His glowing golden eyes shone through the helm's eye slits. He wore a long red cloak, with the hood thrown back, and carried in his hand a long, deadly scythe. The blade had a long bar of gold along the top, and the handle had the same bar coiling around it to the base. _

_At his side stood two others, both as tall as he. One was dressed all in gold, with golden armor, boots, cloak, gloves, and helm. He had long golden blond hair, and glowing golden eyes. He had two long swords strapped across his back._

_The other man was dressed almost opposite. He wore blueish-black armor, and a helm that was blue and silver. His cloak was embroidered with designs of waves, and he carried a long spear, the head of which was almost a third as long as the handle._

_The center man pointed at a truly frightening giant, twice their size, and ordered again, "Bring him down! Oceanus, Hyperion! Bring me his head!"_

_The golden man and the man with the spear leaped forward in unison, both raising their deadly weapons. From the golden man flashed light too powerful to withstand, and from the spear carrier, a massive force of wind and rain rushed from him with all the power of a major hurricane._

_The huge giant bellowed in pain, and was flung off his feet. He raged around on his back for a moment, before the two smaller giants, Oceanus and Hyperion, silenced him forever._

_The first giant, the man with the scythe, laughed manically, and everything went dark, but the laugh lasted long into the night._

Anak sat bolt upright in bed, chest heaving as he fought the images. After a moment, the feeling of dread caused by his uncle's laugh eased, and Anak threw back the blanket, and draped his legs over the bedside. He put his face in his hands, and gave a small sound of weariness.

He'd thought that becoming a god would end the dreams, but evidently even the Gods were burdened. He glanced out the window, and saw it was still very early in the morning. The sun had not even come close to rising yet.

Then he became aware of a sound, which may have been what had woken him. He glanced around, and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was dressed in black sweat pants and a matching black t-shirt. He left his room, and then their apartments. He followed the sound easy enough, and it led him to the throne room.

He didn't have to enter to know what was happening. Two men, one of them he recognized as Poseidon, were shouting furiously at each other. Anak guessed that the other man was Zeus.

Anak peeked inside, and saw that he was right.

The two immortal brothers stood a few meters away from each other, both very red in the face, both obviously very tired. They had likely been at it for a while.

"You can no longer plead innocence, Poseidon! Your curtain of lies has fallen! You will never be the ruler of Olympus! I will not allow you to breath freely in my palace with such traitorous thoughts!"

Poseidon looked deeply insulted by this, and shouted back, "You are a true idiot, Zeus! I never wished to be king! That is your right, and your own! I wish only to end this foolish fight, and let diplomacy resume! But you, in your moronic paranoia, have been blinded from this, and assume that I mean to take your throne! Fool! Not in millenia have I desired this!"

Zeus glared at him. "Liar! You have always desired my power! You want Olympus for yourself! For yourself and for your sons!" He stopped at the look of surprise on Poseidon's face, and laughed. "Oh, you thought I would not see your plan? You wish to overthrown Olympus and raise your own throne against me! Admit it!"

Poseidon turned away. "I have nothing more to say to you, my brother. You have let your twisted mind drive a wedge between our family. If it will come to war, so be it. But I never desired your throne, brother. I swear that upon the River Styx."

Zeus appeared surprised, but then hurt and rage took over."Fool! War it shall be! And I shall laugh down upon you in Tartarus!"

Zeus turned on his heel, and stalked out of the throne room. When he spotted Anak, a look of fury crossed his features, and he snarled. A hint of ozone began to burn the air, then Zeus blinked, and brushed past Anak with barely another glance.

Anak walked quickly into the throne room, where Poseidon was now slumped in his throne. The Sea God looked up as Anak entered, and he sighed. "How much did you hear?"

Anak stopped a few feet from Poseidon. He bowed, and said, "Not much. I woke up about ten minutes ago, and heard you arguing. I walked down here, and saw you and Lord Zeus fighting. I'm sorry for walking in."

Poseidon shook his head. "I'm sorry you had to see that. That's the worst fight we've had in years. This will not be a gentle time. I'm sorry that you are involved. Zeus will not be kind to you. Or Sirius or Sole, for that matter. I will think on this. Zeus will declare open war at the Council tomorrow. It would be a bad idea for you to be on Olympus at that time. I want you to wake your brothers. Go to my palace. You will be safer there."

Anak nodded, and bowed again. Poseidon surprised him by standing, and grasping him in a tight hug. He hesitated, then returned the embrace. Poseidon released him, and motioned towards the door. "Go. You must leave now."

Anak nodded again, and left the throne room. He passed no-one, and managed to get to their apartment in less than a minute. He ran through the living room, and forced Sole's door open with a _slam!_

Sole sat bolt upright, his eyes blazing golden with surprise. Anak gave him little time to recover, saying, "Get up. We have to go. Now."

Sole grumbled, but got out of bed. In a flash, he was dressed, and he picked up his swords.

They went to Sirius's bedroom, and Anak gently shook Sirius awake. "Sorry man, but we need to go. Right now. Get up."

The young god blinked up at him for a minute, then nodded. He got up, grabbed his bow, and snapped his fingers. Clothes materialized, and he stood waiting. Anak nodded approvingly, and hurried back to his room. He picked up his spear, and went to join them in the hall .

They walked swiftly but silently through the palace, but just as they were about to walk out onto the balcony, and leave Olympus, a smooth voice asked, "Where are you three going?"

Anak spun around, and saw Hermes leaning against a pillar. As Anak thought desperately for an excuse, Hermes smiled, and said quietly , "Ah. The war is going to break out soon, then. I assume Poseidon told you to get out?"

Anak nodded dumbly. Hermes nodded. "Good. I do not wish to see you hurt. Go. I will make sure no-one follows you."

Anak threw him a smile, and then ran out onto the balcony. As soon as Sirius and Sole joined him, he closed his eyes, and in a flash, they were gone.

"_Foolish children of mine. They will fight amongst themselves, and I shall easily rise again. You have done well, Slave." The cold voice of the Lord of Time echoed slightly as it rose from the deep void. _

_The woman's answering voice was slightly relieved. "Thank you, Lord. I pray that you may rise all the sooner!"_

"_All in good time, Slave. And you can help with that. I have your word, child of Fate?" Now Kronos sounded slightly amused._

_The woman's voice came back too quickly, nervously. " I serve only you, my Lord! I swear it on the River Styx!" _

_Kronos grunted in approval. "Good. Now go, and spread Discord among my __enemies. You shall be greatest of the Goddesses soon."_

"_Thank you, Lord! Oh, thank you!" The woman gushed, and she canceled the connection. Everything was going as planned._

Anak felt it go wrong. He could feel the tenor of the transportation spell buckle, then fade. He could feel himself falling from it's grasp.

With a _huh!_ Anak landed on the cold, hard ground. He heard Sole and Sirius give similar sounds as they fell behind him. Anak quickly got to his feet, and looked around.

At first, he saw nothing. Then, dark shadows moved in the night, and came closer. Anak raised his spear, and watery blue light extended the range of his vision.

Black dogs the size of tigers slunk towards them, eyes glowing blood-red. Their paws were silent, their mouths open to bear their long white fangs.

Anak felt a tingle crawl up his spine, and a huge shadow passed overhead. It came lower, and alighted ten feet away. The shadow swirled, and dissipated to show a man standing there. A man with long void black hair, pale skin, and hungry black eyes.

Anak took a step back. "Lord Hades."

Hades raised an eyebrow. "Going somewhere?"

Sole shuddered, and Sirius whimpered, stepping behind Anak to hide in his shadow. Anak felt a tingle of fear, and replied, "Yes, Lord."

Hades smirked, not a true smile, but one filled with bitterness and contempt. "No, little godlings. You are not. If you think I know nothing of the war, you are mistaken. I shall not let such a valuable bargaining chip out of my possession. You will be coming with me. Shall you come quietly?"

Anak shook his head. "You can't harm us until war is openly declared. Leave us alone, Lord Hades."

Hades tilted his head to one side. "You are correct. I cannot harm you. But my pets, on the other hand, they can do quite a bit of harm, wouldn't you say?"

Anak took a step back. "Just let us go, Hades. What have we done to you?"

Hades smiled then, and Anak took several steps back. Whatever made Hades smile was never a good thing. "Not yet, godling. But I shall make quite sure you never do." He waved a hand, and the Hellhounds launched themselves at the three brothers.

Anak reacted swiftly, impaling one of the creatures on his spear. Sole had also been waiting for it, and had decapitated one, then laid open another's ribs. Sirius, however, had been too scared to cover himself, and he got bowled over.

"Siri!" Anak yelled, and let out a blast of lightning. The Hellhound was thrown away from the young god, and Sole ran to his side. With a yell, Anak let loose more lighting, and the Hounds fled, yelping.

Hades sighed, and he now looked bored. "You can never rely on servants. Looks like the three of you are free to go, godlings. But do not think this is the end of your part in this war. Think on that." And with a nod of his head, shadow enveloped him, and swirled away.

Anak turned at once to Sirius, who was still lying on the ground. He looked at sole, who pointed to Sirius's shoulder.

A vivid gold stain was quickly spreading from the wound. Anak tore the shirt off, and surveyed the wound with dismay.

It completely encompassed his shoulder. Two u-shaped gashes left by wickedly sharp fangs. Sirius mumbled, and the wounds closed. He opened his eyes, and looked up at them. "What?" He demanded.

Anak choked back a relieved laugh. "Nothing, little bro. Now, let's go home." Sirius nodded, and got slowly to his feet. Sole grasped his shoulder, and Anak once more closed his eyes. They were whipped out of sight, away, down to the Palace of Poseidon, beneath surging waves.

_Light, sound, chaos. Explosions, landslides, hurricanes. The Great War. Nature, turning on itself, killing itself, and killing many. Not Gods, nor Titans, who are immortal, but the Mortals were not so lucky._

"_Atlas! Move the left flank forward! Oceanus, take Krios and secure the right flank! Hyperion, go with Coeus and Iapetis! We must hold against the Hekatonkheires! Curse my father and his weakness! He had the opportunity to end them himself!"_

_The voice of the Titan Kronos had no source, for he had already been locked in Tartarus. But by the power of his brothers, he could watch and give orders in this Great War. He spied another powerful being, and shouted, "Prometheus! Epimethius! The Cyclops are attacking from the south! Cut them off!"_

_Both Titans fell to his bidding, and then he once again spotted a disturbance. "Hyperion! Take Mnemosyne and Thea! The Winds are coming!"_

_Once more the Titan armies moved to counter Olympus. But then Kronos looked down, and saw Prometheus talking urgently to his brother, Epimethius. They looked around, and then left the battlefield. Kronos bellowed, "Prometheus! Epimethius! Where are you going?"_

_Prometheus shook his head. "You are going to lose, Lord. I have foreseen it. The Titans shall lose the Great War."_

_Kronos screamed in rage, but then he looked at his armies, and knew that the little traitor was right. His three sons had arrived, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. They carried their Weapons of Power, and their faces bore only cold fury. Kronos knew then, in his heart, that he would fail, as his father Ouranos had failed before him. There was no hope . . . ._

_Kronos was distracted from his brooding. The War would begin at dawn. He would be free soon. As soon as one of his sons died. The spell that bound him would fade. His spirit coiled in anticipation, for soon the titan King would rise once more!_

Anak laid Sirius on the bed, and turned to Sole, who had already thrown himself down on another bed. Anak sighed, and left his brothers to their sleep. He went to his father's throne room, and looked up through the clear blue water, at the sky above. It was lightening. Dawn was quickly approaching. The War would begin soon.

Anak looked back down as Triton entered the throne room. An ugly flush crossed his elder brother's face, and Anak looked down. He had always known Triton didn't like him. But after Poseidon had adopted the three of them, Triton had _loathed_ Anak with a deadly passion. Neither could stand the other's presence, and they had been in two fights since then. But never when Anak had been a god as well.

Triton opened his mouth, as if to say something, and Anak turned away. He didn't want to argue with Triton.

But Triton, it appeared, did want to argue. "Where is my father?"

Anak didn't turn. "Our father is on Olympus. He will likely be here soon. The War is about to start."

Triton walked up to stand beside Anak, and looked up towards the sky as well. "So, _my _father was right. War is inevitable. I wondered if _my _father would tell you."

Anak barely kept his anger in line. "_Our_ father told me first. So your wondering was without cause."

Triton breathed in deeply. He turned on his heel, and stalked off. He paused before the throne room door, and said, "_Your _ father is a murdering tyrant. Your father will always be Oceanus, a Titan, and you'll always be nothing more than the child of a murderer."  
Anak spun, and lightning flashed out, but it only struck the closed door. Anak swore, and slid down the wall till he was sitting. He put his head in his hands, and tried to gain a hold on his anger. Triton knew how to bait him, knew to bring up his blood lineage. He knew full well how much it affected him.

Anak got slowly to his feet, and padded out of the hall, and back to the room that they would use while they were there. It was simple enough, with three beds, a small bathroom, a lounge big enough for five people to use comfortably. Poseidon had given it to them as a gift when he'd adopted them.

Anak threw himself down on his bed, not bothering to undress. He thought briefly that dawn must have come. The War must have started. It was with those thoughts that he fell into an uneasy sleep.

Poseidon was waiting in the throne room for Zeus and the others to arrive. The full Council had been called. Even Hades had been ordered to appear. And dawn was nearing.

Suddenly, red light broke over the world, signaling something far more disastrous than simply a new day. The doors of the throne room opened, and the Olympian Council filed in.

All knew why they were there. All had remote expressions on their faces. They knew they would soon have to pick a side. But some knew not who they would fight for.

Zeus took his seat, and the others quickly did the same. Hades entered, and sat in a simple stone guest throne near Hestia's. When the Gods and Goddesses were all seated, Zeus cleared his throat. "This session of the Olympian Council is now convened. You all know why we are here. You all know what we must do. You all know what must now happen."

Zeus glared at Poseidon. "I declare open war with Poseidon, God of the Sea."

The Council held their breath. By Divine Law, the other Gods had to declare their allegiance. All but the three. A God could later choose another side, but that rarely happened. Such conflicts had happened before, but rarely.

Then Athena rose. "I shall serve Lord Zeus, this I swear upon the River Styx." There was no stirring of surprise, no exclamations of shock. All had expected this.

Next was Ares. "I declare my allegiance to be with Lord Poseidon. This I swear upon the River Styx." Hades made a small movement, but otherwise the Gods and Goddesses were still.

Now Apollo rose. "I shall serve Lord Poseidon. This I swear upon the River Styx." Now, Artemis leaned forward, and her breath hissed out. She glared at her brother, but did not attack him, as she obviously meant to.

And so it went. Aphrodite and Dionysus also joined Poseidon, while Hermes and Hera joined Zeus. But then Hades rose, and said, "I have made my decision. I declare open war with both Zeus, God of the Sky, and Poseidon, God of the Sea."

Artemis had tears in her eyes, but she said, "I declare allegiance to Hades, God of the Underworld. This I swear upon the River Styx."

Demeter looked as lifeless as any of Hades's subjects. "I declare allegiance to Lord Hades. I swear upon the River Styx."

Hephaestus grunted, "I swear allegiance to the Lord Hades. This I swear upon the river Styx."

Hestia looked sad. "I declare allegiance to Olympus, and remain neutral in this war, as is my right. I pray that after this conflict, our family shall not be utterly shattered."

Poseidon felt her sorrow, but he had little choice. He turned to Zeus, nodded, and walked out of the throne room. Zeus would not dare attack so soon, before he was ready. And in the light of Olympus, Hades was weakened. War had begun, but the hostilities had yet to start. And start they would. It would be a long, bloody war, one that Poseidon knew they would all regret.

But he'd had no choice.

**A/N: Wow. What an ending. For those of you who haven't read or studied he myths, the Gods were always threatening war. Especially Zeus and Poseidon. I've made my Poseidon a little less war-mongering, so if that offends any Greek mythology buffs out there, sorry 'bout that. Please Read and Review, because I don't get enough! This was hardly an easy chapter to write, but it was a fun one. I'm feeling pretty tired. I'm ****gonna crash for the night. Review, and I'll PM you with the name of Kronos' Slave! Ooh, how's that for a reward, eh?**

**Arciadrian**


	6. The Great War

**The Great War **

**A/N: So now comes the War! Yay! That means we're almost halfway! But fear not! I may even write a third story! But that depends entirely on how many reviews this one gets! (wink, nudge) So, Read this Chapter, and Review!**

**Hades's POV**

"Long ago you were locked away, creature of my own creation! Now I offer freedom in return for your services! What say you, Kraken?"

A long, rattling roar echoed up from the depths of Tartarus, and Hades took a few steps back. "Then swear upon the Styx to serve me! And you shall have freedom!"

Another roar, but now the words were Greek, ancient Greek. Hades smiled to himself, and screamed into the dark, "I open the void of Tartarus, and let loose the monster Kraken!" A long silence followed his words, a stifling silence, filled with dark malice. Then a long, hollow _boom! _Sounded deep below, and a massive shape began to haul itself up from the very pit of Tartarus.

A woman stepped up beside Hades, but she was no mortal woman. She was in shadow, so all Hades heard was her voice. "You ssshould have kept it in Tartarussss. The Kraken cannot be trussted . . . ."

Hades scoffed, "And you speak of trust? You, who not only slept with a God, but then denied it and plead with another to hide you? You are a tool. Nothing more."

The woman made a long hissing noise, like a pit of serpents. Hades ignored her, his eyes on the gigantic beast that clawed it's way to the surface.

**Poseidon's POV**

Poseidon stared deep into the ocean, it's deepest point, the Mariana Trench. He could feel the cold seeping from the waves, the malevolent evil. But he had little choice. Hades would raise his beast, the Kraken, and Zeus would command his. It was time for drastic measures.

The Sea God pointed his Trident into the dark waters, and shouted, "I bound you! Now I command that you fight for me! By Divine Law, you are mine to command, Beast! Rise, and do as Poseidon commands!" A blast of blue energy swept from the Trident, and disappeared into the darkness. From that void, a roar, easily the loudest ever heard, rose. Poseidon stared into the water, and felt the monster waken, and begin to rise.

With it's power severely weakened by the Olympians, the monster would retain only a little of it's strength. Poseidon could control it, but little more. It was the most powerful monster in existence. The father of all others, the mate to Echidna, the monstrous Typhon!

The creature rose to only it's elbows, but it still towered over the Sea God. Poseidon pointed up, towards the surface, and commanded, "Bring me Zeus!"

**Zeus's POV**

Zeus looked out, into the night. After it's defeat, the powerful Lydian Drakon had been sealed in the stars. But now, it's time had come to rise anew, and win the war in the name of Olympus. This would be Zeus's ace in the hole. He would use the Drakon, a true terror of all, and strike down his brothers with ease.

But one problem remained. Once the beast was free, it would take considerable effort to restrain it. But after the war, Zeus would have that power. He had only to kill his brothers, and his power would grow.

**Anak's POV**

Anak heard the roar, and looked up. Sole, across the room, also raised his head.

They had been allowed into the meetings, since they were gods, but they made no decisions. The others stood around the room, Apollo, Aphrodite, and Dionysus. They were all dressed richly, but none so much as Aphrodite. She wore a long gossamer pinkish white gown, and a sash around her perfect white shoulders. The Goddess was whatever the man looking at her wanted her to be.

To Anak, she appeared to be a woman with long white blond hair, and depthless crystal blue eyes. Her lips were a soft pink, her face utterly perfect, not a single spot to mar her beauty. She had her hair pulled back into an elegant array of braids, arranged to look like a soft crown of gold. She wore under it a diadem of sapphires.

Apollo looked a lot like Sole, with his honey blond hair, golden eyes, and fair complexion. He wore a long gold cloak, and under it a white Greek tunic, with a golden belt. He had his golden bow strapped across his back.

Dionysus wore a long purple robe, and a grape vine curled through his inky black curls. His eyes were bleary, as though he were constantly drunk, but they were violet. He carried a long staff curled 'round with grapevines and small clusters of grapes near the head.

All three Immortals appeared utterly grave. When the war had first begun, they had summoned their full power. Aphrodite's power came from how much mortals fell in love. That had not changed in millenia. Apollo's came from the sun. As Zeus's power grew, so did Apollo's. It was a great advantage. Dionysus's power was drawn from alcohol. Or more directly, humans who drank it. The more people who were drunk, the more powerful Dionysus was.

Suddenly, Poseidon entered the throne room, and the other three immortals bowed to him. He nodded, and said, "It is done. Typhon is free. He has his orders. He will attack Zeus. Now we must-"

A ground shaking _boom!_ Interrupted Poseidon's sentence. He looked around in surprise, then his face went white. He ran to the windows, and looked out. Anak, and all of the others, hurried to his side.

A mighty beast was laying waste to the lower part of Poseidon's palace. It resembled a squid, but instead of the upper part of a squid's body, it had the body of a giant, with claws like a crab, and another set of arms, with gigantic human hands. It's eyes glowed with malevolent hate.

Apollo gasped. "The Kraken!"

Poseidon turned red in anger. "Hades!" His roar threw them all off their feet. Poseidon grasped his Trident, and strode briskly through the doors. The other followed quickly, intent on helping the Sea God.

Poseidon needed no help. He stopped on a terrace above the Kraken, and glared down at it. The Sea God raised his Trident, and an eerie silence fell.

Then, with a blazing blue light, Poseidon grew in size, till he was fifty feet tall. He roared down at the Kraken, and once more raised his Trident. Lightning, which should have been impossible underwater, lanced out, and struck the Kraken with skyscraper-destroying force. The monster reeled back, and then bellowed in pain and rage. It leapt, it's many tentacles swirling through the water. It landed full on the palace, a few hundred yards from Poseidon.

Poseidon pointed his Trident at it, and blinding blue energy surged from it, and _tore through_ the Kraken, spreading it's viscous black blood into the sea. It now screamed, a very strange sound underwater, and fell, fell towards the sea floor, dying, if such a creature could die.

Poseidon then pounded the butt of his Trident on the terrace, making the entire palace shudder. A crevasse opened beneath the Kraken, and it fell into the black void. Poseidon pounded again, and it closed over the monster, sealing it away.

Anak stared at his father, amazed at his pure power. Anak himself, though he possessed the same powers, had nowhere near the incredible _ability._ He could not command the same proportion of power like Poseidon could.

The Sea God shrank, reassuming his human form. He turned away from the Kraken's place of defeat with a small noise of disgust. He surveyed the seas, noting the black blood that floated there, and stabbed out with the Trident. The blackness fled like darkness from light.

Poseidon turned back to them, and smiled faintly at Sirius, who was staring open mouthed. He laughed at his expression, and led the way back inside. Anak stared a moment longer at the place where the Kraken had disappeared, then hurried to follow.

**Hades's POV**

Hades surveyed the immortal before him. Artemis, dressed like a man, in silver. She wore her brown hair in a tight bun, and had a silvery headdress. She carried her silver bow in her hand, and had a quiver of silver and black arrows slung over her back. Around her feet were three animals, two hounds and one white doe.

Beside her stood Demeter, who looked like she'd rather be anywhere else. She wore a white dress with gold stitching depicting wheat and barley. She had a long wooden staff in her hand, but she was just staring off into space.

Then came Hephaestus, who wore a dirty brown vest and breeches, and carried his hammer and spear. His filthy brown hair was unkempt, and tangled so badly that it would have taken hours to brush through.

Hades smirked. He never really smiled, but such vindictive smirks were common. He then turned to the last person in the room, a woman, the same woman who's overlooked his raising the Kraken.

She had been beautiful, once. But now she could never be called even pretty. Her once lovely blond hair was replaced with hissing snakes, her shapely legs fused into a snake's tail, and her beautiful face now so ugly, that for any mortal to look upon her meant instant death.

Medusa's tale was long and sad. She had once been so beautiful that she had wooed a God. He had thought her truly a goddess among mortals, and loved her deeply. She had arranged for them to meet in a local Temple, the Temple of Athena, the Acropolis.

But when Athena looked down and saw them there, she cursed Medusa with ugliness, and the God who had loved her cast her away in disgust. That God had been Poseidon. He had thrown her away like trash, and then leapt into the Sea.

But Medusa was forever cursed. She hated Athena, and never blamed Poseidon for abandoning her. She was shallow, and hated herself for her ruined looks. It had been easy for Hades to promise an end to her curse.

A loud long hissing sound crept through the Underworld, and Hades frowned. He crossed his black marble throne room, and looked out over Asphodel.

A monster was clawing it's way through the spirits, it's glowing red eyes fixed on the Palace of Hades. At least two hundred feet long, it had neither legs nor arms, but resembled a snake. It's body was a big around as a semi truck, and it had teeth six feet long.

Hades stared at it, then spat, "The Lydian Drakon. Curse you, Zeus! I shall destroy you're feeble attempt!" And he jumped out the window.

The souls of the Dead moaned in mingled ecstasy and pain as their lord appeared before them. He strode towards the monster, his hooked chains in his hands. The Dead whispered to each other, their terrified gazes flicking between Hades and the Drakon.

The beast struck, it's head darting forward with the speed of an arrow loosed from a bow. Hades twisted away, his chains already leaving his hands. They struck the beast in the eye, and their barbed tips dug deep. The beast howled in agony as sizzling black blood spattered from it's wound, and swung it's head to dislodge the hooks.

Hades tore them out, bits of the Drakon's soul clinging to them. He took in the power, and then turned it back on it's source. With a blast, the Drakon was flung several hundred yards across Asphodel, to land in a crater on hundreds on the Dead. They made strange hissing noises as they dissipated.

Hades threw his chains again, this time they gained purchase in the Drakon's belly. He hauled on them, intending not only to drag them free, but to rip the Drakon's soul away as well. The Drakon shrieked, and writhed in mortal agony, it's soul tearing free. It's body convulsed, then collapsed.

Hades gathered the massive amount of energy, and formed it into an orb of black power. He hurled it at the beast, and it sank deep into it's chest before detonating with a thunderous report.

The Drakon was not dead. It would reform later. But the sight of it's scattered remains was a pleasant one in Hades's eyes. He glanced up towards the ceiling of the Underworld, some miles distant, and shouted, "Your pathetic attempt has failed! Zeus, be warned! Soon, I shall come for you!"

Artemis appeared at his side. "But Olympus is too light for you, Lord Hades. How will you defeat my father in his own palace?"

Hades smirked once more, without humor. "I have my ways, Artemis. Now, prepare for battle. We leave for Olympus soon."

**Zeus's POV**

Olympus was silent, save for the winds ceaselessly patrolling it's perimeters. The throne room was illuminated by only the central fire, not by the glory of the gods. Zeus stood atop the pinnacle of the palace, his white robes fluttering in the light wind. He looked out over the world, and whenever he blinked, the huge palace was somewhere else. The power of Olympus served only it's king, and then only if he had the will. London, New York, Cape Town, Beijing, Tokyo, Quebec, and Sydney all flashed by, as Zeus searched for the first hint of where the War would begin.

Then a racking groan echoed from below. Zeus looked down, and saw a true horror emerging from the clouds. At first only the monstrous head was visible, then it's vast shoulders.

Zeus sprang to action, seizing his thunderbolt. With speed born of millenia of practice, he aimed, and hurled the deadly bolt. It flew straight and true, striking Typhon directly on the head.

The Storm Giant bellowed in pain, and his grip faltered, but then he clutched ever more strongly at the mountain, and pulled himself up. Zeus swore in ancient Greek, and called for his lieutenants.

At once, Athena, Hermes, and Hera stood with him. He pointed at Typhon, and shouted, "He must not reach Olympus!"

Athena nodded, and leapt from the tower. With a bright flash, she was gone, replaced by a giant owl. She dove, and as she dove she became enveloped in silvery flames. She struck Typhon with the force of a meteor, but he was not defeated. He faltered, bellowing once more in pain, but he swatted her away, and she was falling, falling to earth.

Hermes jumped, his winged sandals fluttering. He sped towards Typhon, and pointed his Caudecus at the giant, and let out a blast of energy.

Typhon was slowing, but he wasn't yet destroyed. Hera threw something down at him, which detonated and threw him down several meters. Then Zeus had his Thunderbolt once more. He dove from the tower, feet down, bolt poised. He landed on the Storm Giant's forehead, and drove the Bolt home.

Typhon screamed in agony, and released the mountain. He fell, golden immortal ichor draining from his terrible wound, before he landed violently three miles outside Sydney.

Zeus stared around, hovering in midair. He saw Hermes floating not far away, and Hera was still standing on the tower top.

Then he saw her. She was wounded, and badly, but she was alive. A huge gray owl was flying weakly towards Olympus. Zeus commanded the winds to carry her safely to the veranda overlooking the mortal world, and met them there.

As she touched the marble, Athena reverted to her own form. She looked terrible, her left arm completely smashed, with bits of bone surrounded by founts of golden ichor. She was smeared all over with her own blood, and her eyes were closed. But she was alive. Zeus passed a hand over her, mouthing ancient Greek phrases, and watched her wounds slowly close. He was nowhere near as powerful as Apollo when it came to healing.

When he was done, Athena slept peacefully. He turned to Hermes, who nodded, and scooped her into his arms. He trotted off, carrying her to her chambers so that she could rest.

Zeus shook his head wearily. Already his family was hurt. And the war had just begun. Then he remembered that his family had started the war, and many stood against him. His thoughts turned black.

**Anak's POV**

With Poseidon busy, life around his palace was incredibly boring. Many would ask, how does one with the power of a god get bored? Well, they just get bored on an immortal scale. There was _nothing_ to do, other than help the sea spirits clean the oceans. Which was in itself very boring. Or one could pick a fight with one's adoptive brother. Which Anak had a feeling he'd regret.

Sole was reading, which was actually very easy underwater, for one who could just _will_ the paper to stay dry. He was working his way through both the Odyssey and the Iliad, since his life now resembled them quite a bit. He had finished the Odyssey in a little over three hours. Gods can read _fast_.

Sirius was shooting his bow outside, though he really didn't need practice. He could his a fly from fifty feet away, in the dark. Though he was no match for Apollo or Artemis. Apollo had even been teaching him a few things, when he wasn't off fighting in the War. Sirius was the one who stayed energetic, no matter what. Anak couldn't think of a worse punishment for him than to lock him up somewhere, where he would be stuck with absolutely _nothing_.

Then Sole's ears perked up. "Turn on the TV, quick."

Anak stared at him. "Uh, what TV, genius? We're almost three miles underwater!"

Sole raised an eyebrow. "Don't you claim to be the smart one?"

Anak rolled his eyes, and snapped his fingers. A television appeared, an old HD flat-screen, 1080p, if Anak got his history straight. Sole ignored it's outdated-ness, and and flicked it over to the mortal news.

A middle aged man, who struck Anak as familiar was giving a speech. Anak raised an eyebrow, and the volume increased. The man waved his arms a little crazily, and said, "Ever since these so called 'Gods' came forward, they've caused nothing but trouble for us! Look at this recent chain of events! An entire city leveled, another washed away, a gigantic crater outside Sydney! Not to mention the tidal waves that caused mass destruction in Japan! And the earthquake in San Diego was worse than ever! And the gods are no doubt responsible!"

Now Anak recognized the man. The man who'd succeeded the old chairman on the Council that led the Mortal world. He had since been cementing his new post by raised opinions against the Gods. Poseidon found it quite amusing.

But the man appeared to be somewhat insane. He looked wild, and his next sentence was truly a shocking one. "If these 'gods' seek to rule us, then they have another thing coming to them! I for one refuse to follow such a foolish person as 'Lord' Poseidon! And he had the nerve, the _nerve_ to murder my predecessor! And did he face punishment for his crime? No! I think it's time to bring justice to these false gods, these extortioners of humans wealth and welfare! I call for the military, our own _mortal_ military to challenge these transgressors!"

Anak stared at the screen, then at Sole, who looked the same. They both sat quite still for a moment, then bolted for the door. They sprinted along the corridor, and turned the corner rather hastily. They slammed into Sirius, who had his bow slung over his shoulder, and being smaller, he fell to the floor.

Rising, red in the face, he said heatedly, "Watch where you're going! What's the hurry, anyway?"

They ignored him, instead running for the throne room, him following close behind. They didn't knock before entering, instead bursting in.

Poseidon looked up from a large table, annoyed. "What are you three doing here? I thought I told you not to interrupt."

Aphrodite, Apollo, and Dionysus stood at other points around the table. Ares stood at the window, looking bored. Anak walked forward, and Poseidon frowned. "What is it? You look bothered."

Anak nodded. "The mortals said that they want to fight the gods. They said that they're sick of you destroying their cities, and killing the Mortal Head of Council."

Poseidon waved him away. "I know. What they think is of little concern. The gods have no fear of mortals. They will fight, and they will die, and they will have accomplished nothing but a waste of Immortal time. Now that you are here, though, I do have an assignment for you."

Aphrodite wrinkled her nose. "We have intelligence that Hades has employed Medusa to serve him in the war. We want you to kill her. She couldn't be much of a threat to Gods, but against our other armies, she would be catastrophic. You should have little trouble with her."

Ares pushed away from the wall. "Medusa's a sly bitch, godlings. She's been alive a long time. And she's crafty. You'll have to kill her quickly, or she'll get away. She's an accomplished archer, nothing compared to Apollo, or Artemis, but easily a match for you, little Star God."

Apollo nodded. "Artemis gave her a gift, when she was feeling merciful, that she could have great skill with a bow. She was in a fight with Athena that day, so she struck back at Athena by helping one that Athena had cursed."

Dionysus grunted. "Lousy woman, Medusa. No taste for wine at all." They all stared at him, and he said, "What? It's true. She turned down my offer to turn her cave into a winery. I even offered to make her the official taster! But nooo . . . ."

Poseidon spoke over Dionysus. "You'll have to move quickly in any case. The other Gods will be looking for you. They might attempt to apprehend you to force me to treat with them. Be quick, and be back before the moon rises. Artemis will know if you are outside my protection if you are under the moon."

Sirius nodded, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. Sole looked slightly confused, but then I nudged him, and said, "Moon goddess, duh."

**One hour later . . .**

Anak felt good to have his spear in his hand once again. Sole had his swords across his back, and Sirius carried his bow, and arrows that he'd enchanted with starlight. He said they'd act like the explosions he could create, but without the strain.

They left the ocean easily enough, by using magic to travel to the place where Medusa's cave was rumored to be. They didn't have to search long before they found it. It was fitting, a large black marble entry. Flanked by huge pillars, the doorway was lit from within by a strange orange glow.

Anak led the way, spear raised. Sirius walked right behind, with Sole bringing up the rear. They were prepared for an assault by the snake woman. They just didn't expect that attack to come from straight up.

An arrow sprouted from Anak's shoulder. He grabbed for it with a cry of pain. At the same time, a long whip like object struck Sirius in the back of the head, throwing him forward. Sole barely got his swords up in time to block a vicious stroke at his own head. A ring of steel sounded sharply, and then . . . silence.

Anak pulled the arrow out, swearing. Sirius had gotten up, but blood now stained his black hair golden.

Medusa wasn't in sight. Then another arrow flew, with no _twang_ of a bow to alert them to where she was. It was directed at Sole, who moved at the speed of light, sword coming down and slicing the arrow out of the air.

Anak started to feel weak, and stared once again at the arrow. He saw more than blood on it. Some kind of clear fluid. Poison. But he couldn't die from poison. So it must have been intended to weaken him. And it was working.

Then Sirius threw out a hand. Bright silvery light filled the darkness, flinging back the shadows. And revealing Medusa for the first time.

She didn't actually _look_ too bad. Sure, she had a snake's tail, and snakes for hair, but she was actually very pretty in the face.

Then she hissed, the sound of hundreds of snakes filling the cavern. Her face transformed, and she truly looked terrifying, her eyes horribly bloodshot, her skin looked rotted, and her teeth became fangs.

Sirius let an arrow fly. He didn't miss, but Medusa's snake-like hide was tough. She hissed in pain, and fired her own arrow. Sirius blasted it out of the air. He looked puzzled as to why his arrow hadn't detonated.

Sole attacked, his swords now flying through the air at Medusa. The godly metal was far more effective. She screamed, black blood dripping from two long slashes in her long tail. Then she moved, with terrible swiftness.

She was among them. Her tail coiled around Sirius, and she lifted Sole in her hands, and flung him. He collided roughly with the wall, sliding down it, unconscious. Anak was already in motion. His spear stabbed through Medusa's tail, pinning it to the floor, and when she turned her murderous glance on him, he blasted her with lightning.

She shrieked in agony, and recoiled from him, dropping Sirius in the process. He landed with a thud, desperately trying to regain his breath. Then Medusa had Anak.

She wrapped a hand around his throat, and lifted him, her strength incredible. She glared at him, and hissed, "Hadesss ssshall reward me greatly for bringing him the bratsss of Possseidon."

Sirius laughed. "What's the reward for failure?"

Medusa turned, and stared right into the point of his arrow, which was glowing brightly. "You might want to find out." And he loosed.

An explosion of white light filled the cavern, mingled with Medusa's scream on pain, quickly cut off.

When the light faded, Anak opened his eyes. He saw Sirius standing there looking smug. Then he looked down at himself. "Oh, yuck. Double yuck."

He was covered in gore, what was left of Medusa. Her miscellaneous . . . pieces, littered the entire cavern. Sirius grinned broadly, and said, "You owe me for this one. And I think those stains will be _Hades_ to get out."

Anak wearily returned his grin, and at that moment Sole woke up, took one look around, and said, "You _blew her up?_ I get knocked out for three minutes, and the whole world gets covered in weird snake lady blood. Ugh. Lets get out of here."

They all agreed to that. They left the cave, and then magically transported themselves home. Fortunately, the mess was easy to clean. Because Poseidon would have killed them for tracking blood all over his palace.

**A/N: All right, not my best ending of a chapter, but what did you think? I kinda liked the little battle with Medusa, and showing off a god's power is always fun. Any questions? PM me. For those who didn't review last chap, you don't get the spoiler for who Kronos's spy is! Mwaa ha ha! So you get the answer to that **_**next chapter!**_** Yay! See you guys then, unless you're nice enough to REVIEW! Come on, guys! Reviews mean faster updates! I mean it! R/R!**

**Arciadrian**


	7. What About the Mortals?

**What About the Mortals?**

**A/N:** What a question. And a reasonable one. What about the Mortals? Well, you're all about to find out. My name's not Homer, so I don't own the Greek Gods. Neither does he. He's been dead three thousand years. On to the show!

**Anak's POV**

Being the son of a god was taxing. Not only because he was expected to act right, but also because he was expected to be responsible. After blowing up a section of Poseidon's Palace (I won't get into the details) he found himself waiting outside the Sea God's throne room waiting to see him.

At a soft call, Anak entered the room. Poseidon was seated on his large coral throne, with both the surviving elder of the Niereds, and his son by blood, Triton.

None of them looked happy to see him. Anak stood a few feet from his father's throne, and bowed. "Lord Poseidon."

Triton chuckled. Poseidon silenced him with a wave of his hand. He then looked at the Niered. She glared at Anak, then said, "He set off the explosion, Lord. I believe a few Neireds were injured in the gardens below."

Poseidon sighed. "I assumed as much. Anak, what did you do to set off such a blast?"

Anak shifted. "Uh, I think it was some kind of shock-wave, like a tidal force? Maybe a hurricane?"

Poseidon's eyes widened. The Niered gasped, and Triton let out a curse. He leapt off the pedestal to get in Anak's face. "You dare to desecrate my father's power? _You dare?_"

Poseidon stood. "Triton, enough. Leave. You too Auraliana." The Niered looked flustered, but she bowed, and left the throne room. Triton was not so obedient. "You're going to let him off again? He's done this and that, things I would have been exiled for, and you _let him off?_ Where is the justice, Father? Why is he better than me? _Why?"_

Poseidon was stormy faced. "Triton, I gave you an order. Will you obey it?"

Triton exploded, "No! Not while he gets treated better than you're flesh and blood! Have you utterly forgotten that I am your son, not this bastard son of a Titan?"

Poseidon froze. Anak could actually see the rage build, and knew that he did _not_ want this God angry with him. Poseidon turned slowly to face his eldest son, and thundered, "I am a God, Triton! You will do as I say, when I say it, and if you dare to disobey me again, I will banish you until Olympus falls, am I clear?"

Triton went white, and his mouth fell open. He turned and fled with a barely suppressed cry of fear, the throne room door banging shut behind him.

Poseidon turned towards the window, and Anak could actually see something like steam radiating from him. He took a step back, and Poseidon said in an icy tone, "Stay where you are, Anak. Do not think that I am done with you." Anak stood quite still, while Poseidon gain control of his temper.

He then faced Anak. "I tell you now, and I will not tolerate you doing this again, the power over hurricanes is mine. Tidal waves you can muster, but another hurricane will be punished. In the most strict way possible. Am I clear?"

Anak bowed. "Yes, Lord Poseidon. I will not do it again."

Poseidon nodded. He picked up his Trident, and said, "I have another mission for you. I will be engaging Zeus on the island of Sicily in two days. I know full well that the Mortals are planning something against the Gods. I cannot deal with them myself. I need you to do something instead. The Mortal armies have not begun their march, but I sense a malevolent intent upon one of their cruise ships. I want you to investigate this ship, carrying the full authority of the Sea with you. If you find a threat, I want you to destroy the ship."

Anak nodded slowly. "What do you think I'll find?"

Poseidon shook his head. "I do not know. The Mortal armies cannot threaten Olympus. Not directly. They would quickly be annihilated. They know this. They will attempt something else. I want you to find out what it is. When you do, tell me."

Anak nodded. "Yes, Father. May I take my brothers with me?"

The Sea God nodded again. "You may. I doubt you will need them, but they will be four more eyes looking out for the Sea. Go, and in two days, I want you on that ship."

**Poseidon's POV**

Two days for a god pass between breaths. They have been here longer than any, and they have great patience when needed. But to a god, two days does not require patience.

Poseidon looked out over Sicily, and noted that there were indeed a few Mortal cities on the island. Sicily was under Poseidon's control, and Zeus was challenging that control. Not wise, seeing as Zeus was not yet as powerful as he needed to be to challenge his brother, but in war you must not be stagnant. Zeus wanted only momentum.

There. On the horizon. Storm clouds. Zeus was approaching. And knowing his brother, the Sky God would hit first and ask questions later. Poseidon raised his Trident.

As expected, Zeus came hard and fast. He dove from his cloud, Lightning Bolt poised. He gathered the power of the sky, as much as he could, and unleashed it.

Poseidon was ready, though. He'd planned his position well. He stood on a cliff overlooking the Sea. He flicked the Trident behind him, then slashed through the air between himself and Zeus's brutal attack.

The Sea leapt to do his bidding, rushing up with a mighty roar. A wall of water easily a hundred feet high intercepted the roiling power of the Sky God, and a deafening hiss sounded at the meeting of water and heat. Poseidon wasted no time, jabbing towards Zeus with his Trident. The water flew at him, hundreds of thousands of gallons, awful pressure and weight.

Zeus flung his Lightning Bolt, his true weapon of power.

The shock wave threw them both off their feet. The water was blasted away, but the Bolt fell towards earth. Zeus dove for it, and Poseidon let loose his own thunder.

The Bolt was struck by his assault, and flung away from the clutching hands of Zeus. The king of the Gods was struck by the thunder, and he grunted at the heat it produced. He raised his hands, and lightning rained down from the cloud he'd brought, striking at Poseidon.

The Sea God blocked the attack with his Trident, and then spun, 360 degrees, slashing with his weapon of power. He gathered the sea as he spun, and when he again faced Zeus, he threw it.

His brother cried out in anger as the tidal wave bowled him over, but he waved a hand, and his Bolt flew into it.

The world changed. The air grew heavy, the skies dark. Zeus grew, his form easily topping twenty feet. His Bolt grew with him, now about twenty five feet in length. His eyes flared with wild white light. Lightning crackled around him, and the air smelled of ozone.

Poseidon gasped, but was not unbalanced for long. He lifted his Trident, and shouted, "No, Zeus! You will destroy the entire island!"

Zeus seemed not to care. He laughed, a deep rumbling like thunder. Poseidon swore in ancient Greek, and then slammed the butt of his Trident on the cliff.

He grew as well. As tall as Zeus, but his eyes blazed with blue light, and around him the world seemed to become more humid than many could stand, more water than air. Mist swirled around him, almost hiding him from view. His Trident grew, as tall as he, and around the tips blue energy glowed. The Sea behind him grew violent, and the weather was slightly influenced. A hurricane was quickly forming. Waves struck the cliff, and the resultant spray rocketed hundreds of feet into the air.

Zeus growled now in anger. He pointed his Bolt at his brother, and unleashed his godly power. Poseidon met his power with an attack of his own. They met in midair, and threw a shock-wave that would shame any Mortal bomb. The very Sea was blasted away, and much of the island buckled under the stress. Poseidon held off his brother, knowing that he was giving Anak his chance to infiltrate the Mortal ship.

**Anak's POV**

Anak could see the explosions as the Gods fought, even from Poseidon's Palace. The white and blue flares of light reflected around the world. He turned to Sirius, who looked very scared, and to Sole, who was quite pale. He nodded encouragingly, and then said, "Let's trap us a ship."

He pointed his spear up into the water, where the cruise liner was . . . um, cruising. He willed his power to do what he needed, and they were whisked away on a current. He guided the three of them closer, then he nodded to them both. They nodded back, and he thrust up with the spear.

The strain was almost too much. The power required to stop and hold a ship of that size and power was immense. He willed the Sea to propelled him up, and it did. He, Sole, and Sirius were shot out of the water, and suspended on a pedestal of water.

They heard awed cries from the Mortals below, and Anak pointed to the deck. The water placed them gently on the polished wood, and then retreated back into the Sea.

The Mortals moved as far back as they could, and whispered amongst themselves. Anak spared them a glance, then raised his voice to be heard. "I have come to speak with the captain. Where is he?"

The people stopped whispering, and a silence fell. Then a man wearing a crisp uniform stepped forward. "The Captain is a very busy man, son. He can't just be called-"

Anak interrupted, once again speaking to the entire crowd. "I speak with the authority of Lord Poseidon, God of the Sea. As you are in his lands, you will do as I say. Bring me the Captain."

Sirius sidled up to him. "You sound badass. Keep it up."

Sole sniggered. Anak, however, managed to keep a straight face, though he was having trouble holding in his laughter.

The man paled, and said, "Of course! I'll send word to the Captain at once!"

"No need. I'm here. What is this crude interruption? I have a ship to sail here. Who are you, and what do you think you're doing ordering my crew around?" The man was quite imposing. He wore white uniform, and it was severely pressed. He carried his hat under his arm, and was staring at them with sharp brown eyes. He wore a mustache, and his hair was so straight it looked like he used a ruler.

Anak raised an eyebrow. "I am here with Lord Poseidon's authority. I and my companions will accompany you to your bridge, and there we will discuss our purpose."

Just then, a man ran up and said, "Captain, I'm sorry to interrupt, but there appears to be a problem with the engines. They're on full, but we haven't moved. What should I do?"

Anak answered for the Captain. "You should do nothing. The ship is not moving because I'm holding it here. And now I think that we are on board, it can continue." Anak suppressed a sigh as he let the ship loose. It was a great feeling of relief. Sure, Poseidon could have held it there forever, but he wasn't Poseidon.

The Captain sputtered, "I am the Captain of this ship! The Captain gives orders! Not you! Now get off my ship, before I report you for piracy!"

Anak raised his eyebrows. "Sole, that sounded like a Mortal directly disobeying a God. And a God on Poseidon's authority. Am I wrong? Sole, Sirius?"

Sole shook his head. "That's a serious crime. I think the Mortal needs putting in his place."

Sirius grinned. "I agree. They're Mortals, we're Gods. I think we should at least make sure it doesn't happen again."

Anak nodded approvingly. They were all having a blast, and once they were done, they would likely fall over laughing. Till then, they had to keep up a charade. Anak pointed a seemingly careless hand at the Captain. They were, conveniently, standing not ten feet from the pool. The water erupted from it, and wrapped around the Captain like a cocoon. It threw him into the pool, and then started to spin like a whirlpool.

With another flick of his hand, Anak caused the water to throw the Captain out of the pool. He landing in a wet heap at Anak's feet. He lay there for a second, then rose silently to his feet. Anak smiled, and said, "After you, Captain."

The Captain simply nodded. He led the along the deck of the ship, and then into the interior. Towards the bow stood the main control center, or the bridge. They boarded an elevator, and then stepped out onto the bridge.

The Captain dismissed the navigators. They all nodded, and left the room. Anak sat in the captains chair, which he knew would piss the mortal off. He saw the man's cheeks redden, but he likely was remembering his little dip in the pool.

Anak smirked. "Captain, you know full well that the Gods have returned. You know that Poseidon is the Sea God. If any ships sail without informing the Sea God, they will be destroyed. I am here to not only warn you, but also to search the ship. I do not need your approval. I will conduct my search, and if I find anything that I think should not be there, I will not hesitate to sink this ship."

The Captain paled, and stammered, "Well, I . . . I don't think that, that you would need . . . to _sink_ the ship, I mean-"

Sole stepped forward, and said, "Shut up, Mortal. We make the decisions. You are of course welcome to come with us, but if you attempt to hide anything, you will be killed on the spot."

The Captain nodded weakly, and said, "Well, let's go, then."

They did just that. They toured first the passenger's areas, the deck, the dining hall, the promenade, and the shopping mall. Then they crew quarters, the cabins, the mess, the kitchens.

When they got to the hull, though, Anak sensed something was wrong. He stepped out into the dark huge space, and heard something whistling through the air.

A cold steel bar collided violently with his head, sending him roughly to the floor. Sole shouted, but then there was a gunshot. Sole cried out in pain, and then a bright light flared.

Sirius screamed in pain and fear, and he too fell to the floor. And all they could think was that they had either seriously underestimated these mortals, or something very bad was going on.

**? POV**

As always, the cold, dark voice of the Titan King made her shiver. She quickly knelt, and Kronos spoke;

"You have done well, Slave. Is the enchantment ready?"

"Yes, Lord."

"And the ship is outfitted? They are all aboard, and know how to enact the enchantment?"

"Yes, Lord."

"And you are quite certain that Poseidon will send the bastard nephews of mine?"

"Positive, Lord. Surely there is no need for me to go personally? Surely the Mortals can deal with the three of them, since they have the enchantment?"

"No, slave. You must go, and continue spreading your discord. Fear not, my little slave. Soon all the World shall know and fear the name of Eris, Goddess of Strife."

Eris smiled to herself, and said, "Thank you, Lord Kronos."

**Anak's POV**

"Uhhh. . . ." Anak moaned, his mind slowly coming back to reality. He didn't open his eyes, but he could smell the cold metal, feel the icy steel below him. He could hear the sound of people's footsteps.

Then he opened his eyes. He couldn't see much, really. Just the room where he was. He felt the place where he'd been hit, and winced. It hurt, pretty bad. He pulled his hand away to see it covered in golden ichor.

That was funny. He should have healed almost as soon as he was hit. He slowly got to his knees, and then tried to push to his feet.

Nausea hit like the bar had. He fell to his knees, and started hurling up anything that he might have eaten recently. True, he was a god, but he had a half mortal body. He slowly recovered, and then started to crawl to the door.

He got maybe a few feet when he encountered something he hadn't before. Bright light flared, and threw him back. He stared in shock at the glowing runes inscribed on the floor. He couldn't read them, but they had somehow kept him back. He stared around, and the runes spread. He whirled frantically.

Bad idea. He threw up violently, and then fell to his hands and knees, breathing hard. He looked up, and saw that he had been right.

The runes went all the way around. He was trapped.

**Sole's POV**

At first he was only aware of a soft light, which filtered through his eyelids. He could smell the damp scent of the water, and he could feel only cold steel beneath him. He hear a rhythmical sound like an engine, but much larger. Then he opened his eyes.

He was giving off a soft light. He could see that he was in a large room, and there were three other people there. He could see, like a faint, faded photograph, runes that encircled him. He weakly raised a hand, and touched one.

Light blazed from them, and he pulled his hand back as if he'd been burned. Which is what it had felt like. The men in the corner laughed, and one walked closer. "Not so tough now, are you? Gods? No. I don't think you're Gods. We caught you easily enough."

Sole groaned, unable to reply. The runes were sapping most of his strength. He could barely hold himself up. He eventually gave up, falling back to the cold floor with a moan. The men laughed again, but Sole had lost consciousness.

**Sirius's POV**

The youngest of the three brothers sat up with a gasp, convinced that the mortals were already coming at him. He saw nothing but a small room, with shadowy figures, before he felt suddenly, horribly sick. He threw up violently, and then dry heaved for a while, before falling back to the floor.

He could see, with his perfect night vision, the circle of runes around him. He guessed that they were there to hold him. He knew that Anak and sole weren't there. Then he heard a voice.

"Awake at last, Sirius?"

The Star God looked around as much as he could lying on his side. He saw a figure come forward, and resolve itself into the slight form of a young woman. She was fairly pretty, his almond shaped hazel eyes, and flaming red hair. No, not literally flaming. I suppose when you write a story about Gods, you have to specify. But it was bright, shining red.

She knelt beside him, a kind expression on her face. "I wondered when you would wake, little God. You see, though I am in charge, I do not possess your power. I wished to speak with you."

Sirius tried to speak, but the woman laughed. "No, little one. You need not speak just yet. I know that the enchantment is very strong. Lord Kronos himself devised it. It curtailed your power, and prevents you from accessing your godly strength. Perhaps, if you are obedient, I will remove it."

Sirius spoke anyway, despite the feeling of weakness that passed over him. "Who are you? And why did you do this?"

The woman laughed lightly, and Sirius wished he could listen to it forever. She had a beautiful laugh. She placed a slender hand on his cheek, and said, "Lord Kronos sees this new war as his way out of Tartarus. And it will be, little godling. Lord Kronos shall rise, when one of his children falls. Of course, their spirit will simply go back to their weapon, but the loss of the balance will enable him to rise, with help. And I, little on, am Eris. I am the Goddess of Strife."

Sirius gave a weary laugh. "I can see why the gods hate you. Who needs strife in their life?"

Eris's eyes blazed in rage, and she slapped him with enough force to knock his head back. She stood, and kicked him furiously, then said, "Soon, little one, I will enjoy having you as a pet. When Lord Kronos rises, I shall be unbelievably powerful. I will keep _you_ on a leash."

She strode out of the cell, and it clanged shut behind her. Sirius sighed, and laid his head on his arms. It was going to be a long day.

**Poseidon's POV **

Another massive explosion racked the island of Sicily. Already the cities were either deserted, or all of their inhabitants were dead. He and Zeus stood now on opposite sides of the island. Their attacks were weakening, but not enough for either to claim victory.

Zeus seemed to sense this, and raised his left hand in a gesture of truce. Poseidon raised his, and they walked slowly towards each other. Zeus stood a few hundred yards away. "I will leave this fight, my Brother. Let us part, and we shall meet again on the field of battle." He started to glow, and then he vanished.

Poseidon looked around the island, and sighed. He knew he couldn't spare the energy to heal the hurts he'd caused. He knew that the humans would likely hate him for it, but he couldn't care about humans now. He had to defend his kingdom.

He stared across the sea, and was surprised to sense that Anak, Sole, and Sirius were all still on board the ship. He reached out further, and sensed their pain.

Poseidon's eyes widened. The mortals had actually harmed his sons? He felt his anger re-kindle. He leapt off the cliff, and into the sea below.

In seconds, h was just below the ship. He could feel the sea growing more violent, and he fueled it's rage. He caused a geyser of water to lift him out of the water, where he then jumped onto the boat.

People screamed, and several scattered in fear. Poseidon ignored them, and then a voice cried out, "There! Another one! Take him out!"

Another voice, a woman's, shrieked, "No, you fool! Call them off! They'll all die!"

"Do not contradict me on my ship! Soldiers! Take him out!"

Streams of soldiers surged out onto the deck. Poseidon pointed his Trident at them, and the Sea on either side erupted.

Huge, yet graceful necks rose from the water, and each neck had a snarling, screaming head mounted atop it. Each head looked like the head of a snake, but filled with the teeth of a shark. Each was large enough to swallow a fishing boat.

Poseidon gestured, and the heads all lunged. Chaos engulfed the deck. The soldiers attempted to kill the leviathans, yet had not the ability to do so.

The Sea God ignored them. He walked calmly through the chaos, which parted like the Red Sea. He knew exactly where his children were, and he knew exactly who had taken them. That voice had betrayed itself.

He'd always hated Eris. Ever since she'd been born.

**Anak's POV**

Anak heard the commotion above, and he had a feeling he knew who it was. He struggled to stand, but the nausea returned. He faced the door, and waited.

Before long, a squad of soldiers entered, followed by a young, beautiful woman with vivid red hair. She started giving orders, and then knelt beside Anak.

"Well, little god, your father has arrived. But if he thinks I'll let you live long enough for him to rescue you, then he's definitely mistaken. After all-"

"ERIS!" The door blasted inwards, and the soldiers fell under a barrage of savage flying metal pieces. Poseidon stood in the frame, looking more angry than Anak had ever seen him.

Eris, the woman, had not been harmed by the metal. She yanked a sharp, lethal knife out of her dress, and lunged for Anak. The knife descended, and Anak watched it with wide eyes. He could do nothing, not even evade the wicked blade that would claim his life.

Then the knife stopped dead, unable to come closer. Eris gave a shocked hiss, and yelled, "Why can't I kill you?"

And then a cold feeling, colder than anything, washed over the room. Poseidon froze in the doorway, and Eris looked immensely relieved. A voice spoke, one that Anak had heard many times, and hoped never to hear again.

"You foolish goddess, Eris! The basic laws of the world are in all things! You cannot harm him while he is in the enchantment. Nor can he harm you! You have failed. . . . But I still have use for you. Return to me at once."

Eris nodded, and with a sudden turn, flung the knife at Poseidon. Even shell shocked, the Sea God was faster than her. He knocked the blade out of the air with a flick of his Trident, but she had already vanished.

Poseidon looked grim. He stabbed through the runes on the floor with his Trident, and they dissipated. He helped Anak to his feet, and already the younger god was feeling much better. Then Poseidon gave a wild cry, and struck the floor with the butt of his Trident, and released a huge blast of power.

The entire boat shuddered, and a racking groan could be heard. Then water flooded everything. Poseidon grasped Anak's arm, and then they disappeared.

They reappeared in the open ocean, not too far from the ship. Sole and Sirius were floating nearby. Obviously Poseidon hadn't forgotten them. They watched the huge ship sink through the blue water, the bodies of hundreds of mortals floating eerily here and there. The leviathans had already left, but the blue water was stained red, and the evidence of what had happened was clear.

Poseidon turned his grave eyes of his sons. "This is why we left the Mortal World. We knew that they would involve themselves, and we knew that they would die. This, my sons, is the cost of an Immortal War."

**A/N: Here we are, at the end on another chapter. I hope you all liked it, since it took me a while to write. Anyone feels like actually being decent and **_**reviewing**_** is welcome. I don't write this so you can just skim through it, you know. Anyone who wants any more spoilers, leave a review, and I'll PM you with something. Maybe a spoiler for another story. Maybe just a virtual cookie. Review, and I'll mention you in future author's notes. Can't say fairer than that, can I? So, without further ado, R/R, and I'll see you soon!**

**Arciadrian**


	8. Earth Mother

**Earth Mother**

**A/N: Hello all. Good to see some people still read my stuff. This one's for three people. (ahem) Serindraxx, who promises she'll read it soon. Laura B B, who's awesome at constructive criticism. And last but not least, you, who actually took the time to read it. And so, without further ado, here's the chapter.**

* * *

**Gaia's POV**

_She had children once, great children she was proud of. Her husband was strong, and proud. Like most immortals, she had been forced to marry her brother Ouranos, the Skies. She had another brother, Pontus, the Seas. But she alone was Earth. _

_She gave birth, twelve wonderful, beautiful children. She called the six men Titans, and the six women Titanesses. They were all named by their mighty father. Oceanus, Hyperion, Coeus, Krios, Iapetic, and Kronos. And their sisters, Tethys, Mnemosyne, Themis, Thea, Pheobe, and Rhea. _

_She loved all her children, and they all feared their father. She again gave birth, and this time, Ouranos was disgusted. Her younger children were very ugly, and had only one eye in the center of their heads. She called them the Cyclops. Again, she gave birth, and these children had a hundred arms, and fifty heads. She named them the Hekatonkierres, or Hundred-Handed-Ones. _

_Ouranos grasped his youngest children, and gouged a fathomless pit into his beloved Earth. She screamed in agony, and he threw his young children into the pit, later called Tartarus._

_Gaia vowed revenge on her husband for treating her children so. She crafted a scythe, a beautiful, deadly scythe. She offered it to her sons, and all of them trembled in fear of their father, and refused. All but one._

_Kronos, the youngest but strongest, took the scythe and confronted his father. He defeated him, sliced him into pieces, and threw him into Tartarus. But he did not free his younger brothers. _

_Once more Gaia had vengeance. She persuaded Rhea to save her youngest child when he was born, Zeus, and so the Great War had begun._

_Gaia was eldest, and remembered all. She had been born of Chaos, and her three sisters, the Fates, born later. Her brothers came later as well. She knew all, and knew the hearts of her children, and her grandchildren. She was powerful, but hated war. She was calm, but held grudges for eternity. She would be the last, as she was first. And the world would heal. In the end._

* * *

**Anak's POV**

Anak looked out from his bedroom window. He was bored. Incredibly bored. The war was going to be the death of him. Trapped inside, unable to do_ anything?_ Pure hell for Anak.

Sirius was the same, and was either practicing his archery in his room, which Poseidon disliked, because it left holes in the walls, or he was pacing through the halls.

Sole was the calm one. Always reading, working his way through all of the greatest chronicles and sagas of the world. Old classics like Tom Sawyer, the Lord of the Rings, and old books like autobiographies and histories. He read a few new things, like the _Memoirs of the Scientist_, about the man who's discovered Lalent power. It was almost limitless, the smallest sample lasting centuries. It was what powered most mortal cities.

They were all bored, though. And Anak didn't go anywhere else in the palace because he wanted to avoid Triton. He kept his word, and didn't experiment with new powers. He knew he could create a hurricane, and other things, but he didn't want to make Poseidon mad.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and Anak called, "Enter!"

A naiad entered, and set a tray of food on the table. Anak thanked her, and dug in. The food was mostly seafood, of course, but a decanter of wine sat on the tray as well. Anak grimaced. Dionysus's doing, no doubt. The Wine God was always drunk, and never took no for an answer.

He was better than Aphrodite, though. She always made Anak blush, and she was so attractive that he often had other problems as well. Problems that she, the Goddess of Love and Desire, knew all about.

Apollo rarely spoke, but Anak could sometimes hear him singing or playing his lyre. He was amazing, the best that had ever been. He made it sound as though thirty different people were playing at once. Anak didn't really get on well with Apollo, because he was so withdrawn, but both Sirius and Sole liked him a lot. Figured, since he was also the god of the Sun, and Archery.

Anak felt a tingle on his spine, and whirled around, looking for the source.

A light giggling sound came from the corner. Anak turned, his fingers already crackling with lightning. Then the giggle came from the other corner.

Anak growled in frustration, and then gave a surprised yelp as a small boy appeared in front of him. He scrambled backwards, tripped over the low table, and hit his head on the chair.

The boy giggled again, and Anak raised an eyebrow as he got to his feet. The child was about three feet tall, and was wearing a white Greek tunic. He carried a small golden bow in one hand, and a quiver of arrows was strapped to his back. He had golden hair, and crystal blue eyes. A pair of pristine white wings fluttered gently behind his shoulders.

Anak growled again. "Who the hell are you? And what are you doing in my room?"

The boy giggled again, and said in a melodious voice, "I'm Eros! Momma told me you needed me!"

Anak frowned. "Eros? Never heard of him. And who's your mom?"

Eros pouted. "The Greeks called me Eros. The Romans called me Cupid! I'm my momma's helper! My momma's Aphrodite!" He bounced a little, and reached for an arrow. "These are the arrows of love! When I shoot you, you'll fall in love with the first person you see!"

Anak looked confused. "You mean the first woman I see?"

Cupid laughed. "Nope! The first _person!_ I don't know if it'll be a girl or a boy! Momma just said to shoot you! So stand still!"

With lightning speed, Cupid had an arrow on string and fired. Anak gasped, and ducked quickly. The arrow missed, thank the Gods, and hit the wall. It stuck for a moment, then wafted away in a pinkish white smoke. Anak reached out, and his spear flew into his hand. "Back off, cherub. I'm not interested. Get lost."

Cupid grinned. "You think you're funny! But did you know-" He stopped, and suddenly vanished. Then his disembodied voice spoke from behind Anak. "-I can turn invisible!"

Anak quickly brought his spear up, and knocked the arrow away. Cupid pouted, and then there was another _twang!_ Anak exhaled quickly, and lightning blasted out of his pores, blowing the arrow off course.

Then the door opened, and a woman's soft voice called, "Eros, dear, whatever are you doing?"

"Momma!" Eros cried, and he appeared, his bow pointed straight at Anak's heart. He skipped to the door, where Aphrodite was smiling, gorgeous as ever. She picked Eros up, and cradled him closely. She tickled his side, and he squealed in delight.

Then she turned to Anak. "I hope little Eros wasn't too much trouble, honey. He's such a cute little devil!" Eros squealed again at this description, but he didn't look hurt or angry, just amused and happy.

Aphrodite put Eros down, and walked closer to Anak. His brain sent off warning signs, like _hello, idiot, this is a powerful freaking goddess,_ but then they just shut up. She took his chin in her hand, and said sweetly, "Dear, do you know how utterly happy you'd be with a lovely little girlfriend?"

"Uh huh." He muttered, lost in her voice, her perfect face, and her perfume. She reached behind her back, and Eros grinned, but Anak was lost in his own little world.

She brought it around, and Anak saw that it was one of Eros's arrows, but for some reason, this didn't bother him. Aphrodite smiled angelically, "Do you want me to give you a girlfriend?"

Anak struggled to focus, but couldn't. "Uh . . . huh." Anak slurred, still lost. Her smile widened, and she brought the arrow up to his arm.

A voice spoke from the doorway. "Aphrodite, dear, leave the poor kid alone. He can't resist."

Aphrodite turned, giving Anak a glimpse of the man who's spoken. Ares. He walked forward, and pulled Aphrodite away gently. "Love, he can't help himself. This really wouldn't be a good idea. I'm sure uncle Poseidon would be mad if two of his sons started going out. You know he was likely to see them first. Look at him, you've dazzled him."

Aphrodite pouted. "But Ares darling! Surely we could, just for fun? I mean, I can't go to earth and arrange marriages, I can't start scandals, I can't make men cheat! I'm so bored! I just wanted to start a little bit of romance!"

Ares raised an eyebrow. "Then start a little romance with me, love. I'm here, aren't I? And where is your husband? In Erebus, serving Hades. Think of how dank he'll be when the war's over. I'm sure we'll see each other much more often then."

Aphrodite giggled, and said to Anak without looking at him, "You can go, dear. Tell your brothers hi for me." She then devoted her entire attention to Ares.

Anak ran for it. He left the room, and was about halfway down the hall before it happened.

There was a sharp _twang_, and Anak felt a sharp pain in his lower back. He pitched forward, and face-planted. He slowly pushed himself to his hands and knees, and heard Aphrodite scold, "Eros! Mommy said no!"

Eros giggled, and said, "But momma! It's what you wanted!"

Anak felt sick. He reached around, and grabbed the shaft of the arrow, wrenching it out. He watched it vaporize in his hand, and said shakily, "What's going to happen?"

Eros giggled, and fluttered down to land beside Anak. "Now you get to fall in love!"

Anak's eyes widened in horror. He reached around, and grabbed Eros by the front of his tunic. "How do I reverse it?"

Eros pouted. "No fun! I'm not gonna tell you!"

Anak glared at him. "Oh yes you will, unless you want me to rip off your wings!"

Eros's eyes widened in fear. "Momma would hurt you!"

Anak raised his eyebrows. "You're already in trouble. So tell me, or . . . ." Anak grabbed one of his wings, and applied the slightest pressure. Eros squeaked in fright, and said, "Okay! I'll tell! You have to pray to Aphrodite! You have to ask her for mercy!"

Anak gaped. He hated begging. And he hated begging for mercy even more. He'd had to do it once or twice, even before he'd met Poseidon. When he'd lived on the streets.

He dropped Eros, who gave a relieved sigh, then disappeared with a pop. Anak turned to his rooms, where he knew Aphrodite was, and mumbled, "Aphrodite, I beg for mercy."

Aphrodite appeared in the doorway. "What was that? Speak up."

Anak ground his teeth. "Aphrodite, I beg for mercy." He spoke in a slightly louder voice, but obviously not loud enough. "Speak up, Anak. I can't hear you."

Anak sighed. He spoke in a louder than normal voice, and said, "Lady Aphrodite, I beg your mercy. I ask that you release me from this curse, and that I be freed from it's influence. Please." He said the last word so softly that he could barely hear it, but Aphrodite appeared pleased. She waved a hand, and said, "The curse is lifted. Go. I will control my son in the future."

Anak bowed, and left her, walking slightly too fast, but then, he was still imagining the horrible consequences if she hadn't removed that curse.

* * *

**Hades's POV**

The gloomy God of the Dead once more surveyed his dismal domain, standing in one of the towers of his black palace. He frowned, something he did often, as he spotted a light, very faint, appear on the far side of the River Styx. He glared at it, hating it, and he extended his will, intending to eradicate it.

What he encountered was more than some defiant soul. All the power of a god resisted his might, and he gasped, recoiling from it. He took his clawed chains in his hands, and leapt from the tower. He fell, and landed lightly in Asphodel, searching for the light.

He walked towards it, slowly gathering all his might from the darkness of Erebus. He could see his enemy now, the light that he gave off. Light that only one god could bring to his kingdom. He growled in anger, and the souls of the dead drew away from their fearful lord.

Hades called out, his voice echoing through the void, "Zeus!"

An answered voice, filled with challenge, blood-lust, and bitter fury called back, "Hades!"

Hades didn't pause. He ran at his youngest brother, and threw his chain with all his might. Zeus brought up his Lightning Bolt, and batted the chains away, before he barreled into the Lord of Death.

Neither could gain enough room to use their weapons. Hades kicked Zeus for all he was worth, channeling all of his godly strength into the blow. Zeus flew off him, but as he did, he swung his Bolt. Hades felt a burning pain as the bright energy brushed his shoulder. He retaliated quickly, bringing up his other arm, the chain leaving his hand.

It caught Zeus before he hit the ground, and Hades swung him around like a lasso, then flung him into the Styx. The black, eerily green tinged water boiled, and Zeus surfaced, his face contorted in rage. But the waters of death had dimmed his light, and in the encroaching darkness, Zeus would no doubt fail. He knew this.

So did Hades. He leapt at his brother once more, and attempted to subdue him. But Zeus was as quick as ever. He brought up the Bolt, and released a huge volt of electricity. Hades was only slowed, but Zeus had crossed the Styx, and was climbing the long, dark passageway that led back to the mortal world.

Hades seethed in anger as he watched his youngest brother escape. He would never defeat Zeus in daylight. There would be another time, another fight, but this one was simply a stalemate. Hades shuddered at the thought of Poseidon in his lands, because the Sea God was not inconvenienced by the Underworld, and the Styx would be beneficial to his offense.

No, Hades would likely lose the war. But he had to make sure that Zeus did not win.

* * *

**Anak's POV**

The son of Oceanus was sleeping. Something he usually did at night. And he had made sure that Sole and Sirius had at least been in their rooms. But Anak was more tired than usual. He hadn't slept in days, because he was too worried about the war. After almost four days of insomnia, his body, god or not, had forced him to sleep.

And it was then that she spoke.

"_Little Titan . . . . Listen to my words . . . ."_

Anak shifted in his sleep, but then he began to dream.

_A woman, too tall to be mortal, sat before him, in a throne of red stone. She was breathtakingly lovely, but there were certain things that made Anak pause. She had russet, almost truly dirt colored skin. Her eyes were solid brown, like they were made of clay. And she wore a robe that was pure gold, and seemed to be actual _gold_, not just dyed. It seemed to flow, like molten gold. _

_She smiled gently at him. "Child of the Titans. Long have I desired to meet with you. Do you know who I am?"_

_Anak shook his head. He knew he was dreaming, but many things seemed to real. He could smell the rich, earthy scent that seemed to emanate from the woman, he could clearly feel the warm breeze. He could almost taste the sweet rose petals as their perfume wafted from the bushed a small distance away._

_The woman's face turned sad. "I am not surprised. My grandchildren, the Gods, have long denied my presence, saying that my time has passed. But I know they are wrong. I am Gaia, ever present Mother of Earth. I was first, and though I do not savor the idea, I shall be last. That is true, unavoidable."_

_Anak's eyes widened. He quickly bowed. "My Lady. I apologize. I did not know."_

_She smiled again, radiantly lovely. "I accept your apology. Now, I have a task nor you, young Anaklusmos. I am weakening, as this war continues. But at the end of the war, I shall once more gain in power. I shall rise, and retake my position as Queen. Olympus shall fall, The Titans, my own children, shall fall. And you too, Anak, shall be no more. But this must happen. The world is dying, and only I can heal it. Only I. You must do this, Anak. You must."_

_Anak started to protest, but then she rose, nearly eight feet tall. She stepped forward, and took Anak's face gently in her hands. He felt strange, and then he heard her voice, though she had not spoken._

"Now you shall serve me, body and soul. I shall rise, and all others shall fall. No more shall I wait. No more shall I be forgotten. Sleep, little Titan. I shall be with you, always."

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**A/N: Hello! Another great chapter! And I think the plot has grown so twisted and muddled that if anyone can actually see where this story is going, you deserve many virtual cookies and awards. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. I know I hadn't updated in a long time, so yes, many thrown objects would be deserving on my part. Sorry! Next update might also be a while. In the meantime, check out a few of my other stories! Thanks guys!**

**Arciadrian**


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